Detour 4 - Ichor: Awakening

"Ouch!!"

My back slammed to the ground, followed by intense pain, and my ears pounded like hell.

A week after joining the Guardian Force, I was assigned under Cecilia's training regiment, but of course, with my measly stats, I couldn't even hope to match the Force's top operator.

"Haa…" Cecilia sighed helplessly as she offered a hand on me.

Of course, my pride was hurt like hell, my ass is getting handed to me by a girl, but Cecilia, instead of mockery, she faced me with worry.

"What happened to the prowess you showed me on the first day you invaded the base?"

Of course, she'd ask that, but my answer was this simple.

I only overwhelmed the operators of the Force, through surprise attacks, underhanded tricks and the like.

Call me a coward, but that's the only way I can barge in and call on the attention of William.

"So, in terms of head-on combat… you're useless."

"Can you ease up on the sharp words, it still hurts"

True, I'm pretty much useless, I mean it's the reason the Rocheforte casted me out like a broken toy after all, they don't need dysfunctional soldier in theatre of war.

Much as I hate to admit it, my reason for joining the Force was to protect Cecilia, but the one I'm supposed to protect was much stronger than me, if she's stronger, then what's the point of me protecting her, that's just dumb.

Even when I threw myself to endless training, my stats would only rise one by one, it's like I've already achieved my highest potential at best.

Am really just that useless? I mean the others gained OP cheat stats and powers when they stepped into this world, was I just an insignificant being abandoned by my potential?

Cecilia looked at me with a complicated expression, she was probably contemplating whether to cheer me up or console me. But her eyes, the look on her eyes hurt the most, they were pitying me.

I sighed, "Well… I'm already here, anyway, I'll just be in the workshop doing the only thing I have potential of…"

In the workshop, I've been doing what I've been doing recently, that was making sure, the latest weapons of my world was made in this world, of course, William did say that we can't let it be distributed out in the world because it will shake the fabric of warfare in this world.

For now, I'm starting to build the assembly line for the bullets. A lot of people think that guns were made first before the rounds, it was actually the opposite, the bullets were made first then comes the gun that will use that bullet.

The assembly line that I'm building will be the 9mm. bullets that are commonly used in pistols and submachine guns, gunpowder was an issue when I was all alone.

Gathering the materials was child's play for a synergist like me, but gathering the ingredients for the gun powder was hell.

The three main components were charcoal, potassium nitrate, which is found in seashells and the like, the hardest to find was sulfur, and a bit of sugar, which is a common ingredient anywhere.

Then for the casing it was just copper and some leads as the bullet. Thanks to the resources of the force, I'm able to gather those easy.

Of course, something like this would be run by a computer, which is why, I'm working my ass double time in creating a basic computer that will issue orders on the assembly line.

Just thinking about all the work I'm doing, makes me yearn for the modern days.

No, no. I can't be discourage! I finally had the chance to be useful and possibly find my way home, I can't stall now.

As I was drowned in my thoughts, I suddenly noticed someone observing me while leaning on the door.

"Uh… can I help you?"

The one observing me was a middle-aged man, he had a short salt and pepper hair and eye glasses, he was also wearing a lab coat. If I remember right, this guy was the doctor that examined me a few days ago.

He was holding some papers and started browsing them, I don't know why, but does he have to do that here? I'm trying to work here, probably my only usefulness in this organization.

I got back to work and started hammering down the components together.

"So… you joined the force, to kill devils?" the doctor spoke. I stopped my work out of curiosity, after all this time, he finally spoke.

"excuse me?"

The doctor walked towards me and extended his hand.

"Dr. Charles Darwin III, I represent the magical research division of the Force"

"Asher Guren"

Wait! Did he say Charles Darwin!? I took a fine look at him, was that coincidence with the name? he doesn't look like Charles Darwin from my world.

After my introduction he nodded and laid down the papers from his hand to the conveyor belt.

I need more evidence on this, I'm starting to get curious as to why he had the same name of a famous scientist in my world.

"Where are you from?"

He looked at me. "Arisen City, Rocheforte Kingdom… before that, Dryden Empire…"

I stared at him for a minute, I guess that was just coincidence then, but… wow, my head's starting to hurt.

"Does this trouble you?" he asked

"No, not at all…"

"Where are you from, Mr. Guren?"

Shit, is it okay to just reveal my state here? I'll just tell the truth and hope it works out.

"Someplace called Japan"

"Never heard of it, but now… you still didn't answer my question… do you want to kill devils?"

Why would he ask that? I mean, wasn't the purpose of this organization to purge evil from this world? That's what William told me.

"Is this a test?"

He stared back for a sec "Yes"

I thought for a while and answered "I don't want to kill anyone. I just want to protect someone and I don't like bullies… I don't care where they're from"

I answered truthfully, the world's unfair, true, those who stand at the top exhibit power and wielded it however they want letting those weaker against them suffer from being powerless.

My dad often told me that whenever someone needs help, help them, I've stick to that, that's what always pushed me to fight off Hayama and his lackeys trying to bully others, that feeling in my gut always compels me.

It's the reason why I'm the one getting targeted, because I'm the only one standing up to them.

The doctor smiled and nodded "Well, there are already big men fighting the war, maybe what we need now is the little guy"

He walked off a bit and turned back to me.

"I can offer you a chance, only a chance"

Then started walking out, I had to follow him. If it's a chance, I'm willing to take it.

"I'll take it!"

"Good. Follow me"

He took me to a lab, the racks were field with various potions and stuff, looks like I found my next target for upgrading.

"you know, I saw your results. Your stats won't rise"

"I kinda put that together, no matter what I do, my stats won't rise, like I'm already stuck on my level"

"that's the thing that makes me curious" he raised his finger "your stats won't rise, like you've already reached your cap level. A normal Human could reach level 100 that was when the maximum potential of a human is reached, but yours there's something about you"

My level won't rise, does that mean that I'm already at my max potential? At level 10? What am I?

"Don't look so dejected, this is the first time that I've encountered something like this, so I've researched for a bit and found something inside you"

"Something inside me?"

"Yes, that something was like a seal, there's a dormant power inside you, when I took your blood sample and concentrated it, and found something in your gene"

My gene? What does my bloodline anything to do with this?

The doctor then showed me a vial of golden liquid.

"This is something that we called Ichor, the blood of the gods. In the legends there are humans that were offspring of the gods"

"You mean Demigods?"

"In a way, yes… they all have the ichor in their genes and can wield powers beyond human capabilities"

"And what does that have to do with why my stats won't rise?"

"We found this on your blood"

Does that mean, I'm a demigod? Wait no! that's impossible, my dad and mom are married before I was born, and I have two other siblings before me… does that mean I'm an illegitimate child?!

My hand was covering my mouth over to my nose, as I sunk into deep thought. The more he says, the more I don't get it, I'm starting to question my parents too! Did they cheat on each other!? No, we were a happy family, besides, there's no way anyone would accept my weirdo parents! By normal standards, my family is weird, even so… I hate to be the one to say it, but my mom and dad had good looks so I can't completely write them off cheating at each other.

AHHHHH!!!! My head hurts!!!

Charles suddenly chuckled. What's so funny!? My parents could possibly be cheating with each other you know!!!

"You sure are falling into a dilemma, Asher. But don't worry, your parents probably didn't do something as adulterous. The ichor in your blood was dormant, which probably meant that you are a legacy of a Demigod"

Was my thinking written all over my face? Me being a legacy of a demigod… I remember my dad always saying that the Guren clan possess powers inside us that remained dormant for generation. I thought it was just one of his chuunibyou fantasies, so I just write it off as some bullshit he made. But hearing the doctor explain to me that some weird shit is circulating in my blood makes me somehow believe my father's words

"your demigod gene remains dormant until now, that's what's hindering you from progressing forward"

"What do we do then?"

"We'll need to create a Gene Activator; it will help you unlock that dormant power in your genes and help you progress"

"How do we do that?"

"It will take time… creating the activator is pretty hard, considering that we are only discovering it for the first time, and it was legend until now."

"I'll do it, if you need a Guinee pig to test it on, let it be me"

"No, that's too dangerous, who knows what might happen, if it fails"

"I'm the only Legacy you met, which means I'm the only one with Ichor in my blood, then only I can be the one test subject"

The doctor helplessly sighed and nodded.

"Alright, but we'll need to base it off on the Ichor, which means I need your blood"

"Take as much as you need"

If this is the only way, to make me stronger, I'm ready for the risk.

Two months, trial after trial, I've trained my body futile as it was, 10km. run, 100 pushups and sit ups, every single day, I never stopped.

The Gene Activator serum finally completed, after two months of trial and error, it's finally ready.

The night before the scheduled operation, well, injection in this case, Doctor came to my room. I was reading some books about the history of Terria, if I'm living in this world might as well, possess some basic knowledge about it.

"Can't sleep?"

"No, just studying"

He brought a wine bottle and a couple of cups. I closed the book and laid it beside me, the doctor sat on the chair near the bed facing me.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Only one?"

"Why me?"

It was the only question that popped up in my head, even if I had possess' ichor in my blood, I'm a legacy, there should be others that also possess that, probably in a much better state too.

"I haven't told you this, but I've already created that serum once…"

He told me a story, the story of a doctor that believed in gods and its ability. He discovered people possessing abilities far beyond the capabilities of a normal person.

Demigods, halflings, half-bloods, whatever they are called. The doctor created a serum that amplifies the effects of the ichor in the blood of those demigods.

"Did the serum worked?"

"Yes, but there are other… effects. The serum amplifies that is inside, so… good becomes great, bad becomes worse… this is why you were chosen. Because the strong men who has known power his whole life may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of power and knows compassion."

"Thanks… I think"

Doctor smiled and handed me one of the glass, then poured some wine over it.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, you must promise me one thing… that you will stay who you are… not the perfect soldier…"

He pointed and tapped my chest "But a good man."

Looking at him, he may have done horrible things in life, but he learned from it, and he chose me to be the next generation that will save this world, while I hate this world, I can't abandon it for the sake of those that accepted me here, Dr. Charles, William, Cecilia and the Force, just for them, until I find my way home, I'll fight to protect them.

I raised my cup, "To the little guys"

Doctor chuckled as he toasted his glass on mine. Just as I was about to drink.

"Ah, no, no! wait, wait" he hurriedly stopped me and took the glass away. I'm already 16, by law in this world, I'm already at a legal age, I can drink alcohol, so what's stopping me?

"what are you doing, no. you have a procedure tomorrow. No fluids"

That's how it was, I thought he still thinks of me as a kid.

"Then we'll drink it after"

"No, I don't have procedure tomorrow" he transferred the wine from mine to his "drink it after, I'll drink it now"

Seeing his immature actions made me remember his not just a scientist, he's also a good friend of mine, I can't help but smile thinking about it.

The next day, he called me to the lab. William, Cecilia and a bunch of other guys came to see the procedure.

Doctor was holding a vial of blue liquid, the activation serum, before he transferred it to an injection.

"Ready?"

I took a deep breath before nodding at the doctor, he placed the injection hovering on my arm.

"This is gonna hurt"

"I'd be disappointed if it wasn't"

The doctor smiled as he injected the serum, I said something brave, but actually, I'm scared as hell. I felt the needle pricking my skin before finally entering my veins, then I felt the cold fluid streaming in coursing through my veins.

Just as the doctor pulled out the injection, I said "That wasn't so bad…"

However, Charles shook his head slowly. I jinxed it, searing pain shot through me.

"Agh! Gah!?! Agaaah!!!"

I crumpled to the ground, intense writhing pain, as I scream in terror. The pain was far, far worse than any pain I've experienced in my life.

Along with the pain, I began to feel my body throbbing. It began pulsing. I continued screaming in agony, smacking my head against the floor over and over again.

Cecilia came to me in worry, but the doctor stopped her.

"Doc do something!" she pleaded

"We can't, it's part of the process" he said regretfully.

The pain showed no signs of ending. I was starting to beg for someone to just end me, but no one did that, they helped me up and strapped me to the bed.

For hours, my body went through unendurable pain, my screams filled the room, I could feel my body creaking like it's about to break. As I tried to call for help no one came.

Many hours passed, I lost tracked of time, I continued to stare on the ceiling, the pain finally subsided.

Just then, Doc came with a smile of relief, Cecilia came rushing forward burying me with a hug.

"Thank goodness… thank goodness your alive" She cried out helplessly.

"You did good" doc said.

I tried to get up, I noticed something different this time. Cecilia assisted me up worry was written all over her face.

"How'd you feel?"

I scanned my surroundings.

"Taller…"

I actually grown tall, before Cecilia was a full head taller than me, now it was the opposite. my arms are bigger, my whole body, my muscles grew seriously, just what the hell was with that serum?

"How long was I screaming in agony?"

"Six hours" Doc said

"Six hours!?"

I managed to endure that pain for six hours!?

He threw me back my status plate, I managed to caught it. Despite having the pain subsided, my body feels light, it's like I can still run a full marathon.

I checked my stats and what surprised me was that it jumped, not by a margin, it was a full hundred

Before the operation I was only at level 10 and that never rose, now, my level shot up to 30 and even gained new skills aside from my Transmutation.

"Well… are you ready to save the world?"