Chapter 5 - Ophelia

Her eyes slowly opened, finding herself in an unfamiliar ceiling having woken up from a pleasant dream that rarely happened anymore. She remembers being happy playing with her brother who she loved dearly. Their parents had died early in their life forcing her brother to take care of her. Even after many hardship believed that as long as she had her brother everything would be alright. But life was unfair and tragedy struck, recalling the vivid memories of a one horned Yoma who killed her brother who protected her.

At that time, she hated how her brother died trying to be heroic. However the dream allowed her to regain something that had been lost to time and saw the smile that her brother gave as he died protecting her. She was fueled by hatred and desire for revenge that she forgot why her brother sacrificed himself.

"Oh, hope you had a pleasant dream."

A familiar voice was heard as she instantly went on guard the moment she realize who the person might be and tried access her Yoki hoping to fight him only to be confused when she couldn't then finally noticed that her body had returned to that of a human.

"Jeez, you'd expect after helping someone they would at least say thank you." The man, Peter jokingly said seeing that it was reasonable that she would react that way. Meanwhile, Ophelia was incredibly confused recalling that she had become an Awakened Being and was fighting him who she assumed was another awakened being. Those who became these creatures normally couldn't revert back yet Ophelia felt more human than before she was claymore.

"Joke aside, hope you stop attacking and at least talk things out first." Peter gave a friendly smile that surprised Ophelia, reminded of her brother that she lost and slowly compelled to listened. She lost her reasoning before and blinded by her emotion until now allowing her to become more collective.

"Who are you and how did you turn me back?" Ophelia asked who was serious and wasn't that stupid to fight when she can't even use her Yoki. She knew if he wanted her dead then she would have been long gone.

"Before that, I remember you being hungry. Here." Peter simply opened a rift in space reaching out to take a hamburger and his action shocked Ophelia.

"Yeah, I'll explain this too. So don't worry." He didn't care if his otherworlder status was exposed considering it doesn't matter to him. Ophelia was skeptical but took the food looking at it strangely considering she never saw something like it and watched as Peter unwrapped his own copy of him then was amazed by how delicious it was. Peter knew that as a claymore they wouldn't need to eat that many meals as their body could gain sustenance from a small portion.

"Delicious right? Though, I prefer spicy food."

Peter knew that species and other flavoring would be rare, almost the same equivalent of gold as how rare and difficult it is to transport. People never truly appreciate how convenient their lives are in the modern world.

"Well, anyway, first of all, my name is Peter Parker or you may call me Peter. How about you, Beautiful?" Peter felt it was natural when he flirted and didn't feel any cringe. He wondered if it's a passive effect of [ Essence of Harem Protagonist ] that makes him more confident around women. He didn't view her other form as monstrous and had some charm to it. Peter looked more inside rather than outside appearance.

Ophelia is neither good nor bad, she simply has been shaped to what she is. Even though she tried killing a human that was prohibited and Claire from before but the world peter is, was in a gray area. The claymore woman didn't know how to feel being called beautiful but smiled.

"So I'm beautiful huh? You stay that way after seeing my hideous form before." Ophelia playfully said finding him rather entertaining that he was trying to flirt with her.

"I simply say what I think and yeah your other form may look scary but I don't mind it." Peter was smooth and felt comfortable talking with women even though in both lives he doesn't have any experience beside his family.

"You're quite interested in an Awakened being. Well, my name is Ophelia, the Blood soaked warrior." Ophelia tried to intimate him with her title while surprised when Peter simply titled his head.

"Blood soaked warrior? Is that some kind of Epithet cause that sounds amazing." He honestly thought it was badass and Ophelia clearly enjoyed talking with him.

"Fufufu, people who hear my title would normally be scared yet you think it's amazing?" Ophelia giggled having seen her fellow claymore cower and fear after killing them for the simple reason of smelling like an Awakened Beings.

"Well, I haven't earned yet but if I ever gain an epithet then it would be King in Black, Onyx King or the Unbeyonder." Peter has Venom that surpasses the All-black also known as Necrosword which meant he was at least close to being the King in Black only lacking in few areas. He can easily use Cortana but decided to take things slow. Ophelia found those names were rather fitting from what she witnessed and wondered why the last Epithet. It rather made it sound like he should be below everything.

"We're getting off topic, now you're curious about what I am and how I did those things, right?" Peter asked and Ophelia nodded.

"Alright, how about you tell me about this place since I'm not from around here. I don't know what's an Awakened Being or whatnot." He said while Ophelia wondered where he could have originated when he was not aware of awakened beings. Then again most who know about their existence are dead.

"I'll go first, the power I've used to fight you is a creature called Klyntar or Symbiotes. They are creatures who would bond to a host becoming part of that host. My name is Venom, the Abyssal Blade." Peter said where Venom appeared that shocked Ophelia and even more when she spoke.

"Hello there, consider yourself lucky to meet my darling~. He healed you and helped you become even stronger. You should be grateful that I've returned your chance to be a mother again." Venom said churning her feelings without Peter's prior knowledge having infected her with a symbiote. Ophelia's eyes widened and lifted her clothes to find that her stigmata had long vanished.

"W-What!? This is impossible!? Y-You actually able to heal my stigmata!?" Ophelia realized that she had the chance to have family again and her brother's last words to her was to live happily that she had forgotten because of her self hatred and anger.

"It isn't an issue for me. Where I'm from is far more dangerous and problematic than this place but at the same time more peaceful." Peter doesn't know which place is better, a world filled with monster that eat human or a place where their reality is completely Fucked by countless otherworldly creatures and cosmic shenanigans.

"What do you mean from where you're from?" Ophelia asked, still shocked with everything happening around her. Peter decided to show the mother box, surprising her then showing the place where he came from.

"This is the world I am from. A place that is more peaceful on the surface but filled with enemies underneath that either want to stop ruling the world or destroy it. Or somewhere in between." Peter saw the curiosity and fascination in Ophelia's eyes when she saw buildings and vehicles that she hadn't seen before. She was like a child full of questions.

"This is Cortana, somehow who helped in many different tasks." Peter introduces the mother box as Cortana appears, surprising Ophelia once again.

{ It's nice to meet you. } Cortana greeted her while Ophelia was simply baffled seeing a box floating with a blue woman appeared.

"Oh my, I didn't expect that you're really not being around here. You're telling me that you came from another whole different world than ours?" Ophelia said.

"It's complicated but yes. And I'm telling you this since I don't see any reason not to and doesn't change anything if I tell you or not." Peter explained confident they won't be an issue telling the most of the truth.

"Interesting, does that mean your world doesn't have Yoma or Awakened Beings?" Ophelia asked.

"Maybe, but I do know our world is much worse. Then again, most are ignorant of it and live fulfilling lives most of the time that seem luxurious to this place." Peter said considering they aren't any world ending threats in claymore unlike Marvel. Ophelia wondered how something has a worse monster than her world yet still has better lives than them.

"Now it's your turn, how about you tell me about your world then?" Peter said and Ophelia nodded, explaining about the Organization that helped create claymore and how in the best they were men who were claymore but stopped because they became Awakened Being a lot faster than women and the reason most of them are men.

"I guess now that I've become whatever I am now will likely be hunted down." Ophelia couldn't return to being a claymore after becoming an Awakened being and whatever she is now doesn't matter because she essentially has been defected from the organization and viewed as a threat.

"I can say you're a perfect hybrid of a Yoma and a Human that I'm confident give you the ability to use that form from before and back without a problem to fix some issue with Venom's help when I was healing you." Peter explained and Ophelia tried transforming her arms only to be taken by surprise when it turned into more monstrous form then reverted back.

"I've also given her a Klyntar that she has full control over and has a link to us, to our Hivemind." Venom added where Ophelia wondered what she meant and received a further explanation.

"Oh wow, I also have a creature like yours that can change my body whatever I want?" Ophelia felt chains break and felt connection to Peter viewing him as King. She can't deny it was rather arousing when he was looking at her.

"Oh my~ I can sense you like my body and feel that you're aroused. Is this the link you spoke of? I feel more comfortable and compelled to please you now. Not to mention I feel a lot stronger than before." Ophelia didn't feel any shame and was happy that she liked her body.

"That's the effect of the symbiote. It should be like second nature to you." Venom said, smiling at the success of snatching another woman for her beloved. Ophelia easily forms tendrils and is reminded when she was an Awakened being but more free.

"Fufufu with this I can finally have revenge on that one horned Yoma!" Ophelia said, showing her killing intent, having the power to finally combat the creature that took everything from her.

"Well, besides that, what's your plan now?" Peter asked, causing Ophelia to pause then look at him.

"Probably have your children as payment for giving another chance. It's fair trade and our link tells me it isn't a bad choice." Ophelia hardly knew him yet was immensely drawn, especially Venom's corruption. Peter was dumbfounded by her nonchalant tone.

"Uhmm…okay. I was going to suggest traveling with me since I want to explore this place for a few months." Peter didn't think too much of what she said. Unlike traditional women, Claymores doesn't have any preference in romances and Ophelia finds Peter to be a great candidate.

"Don't you want to Fuck?" Ophelia asked, with Peter coughing from her words. How can this woman speak indecently!? Peter didn't move too fast for his mind to handle unlike Venom who had a complete connection to him that it felt normal.

"....Not yet, I hardly know you and don't forget you tried to kill me." Peter said only to receive a giggle.

"Fufufu aren't you adorable. Then have it your way. Just ask and I won't hesitate." Ophelia smiled and Peter inwardly facepalm thinking how things turned out.