Chapter 40: Actions & Consequences

As I wandered through the stadium, Buddha's words echoed relentlessly in my mind. "You should stop relying so much on that weapon; it's stripping you of your life." Each step felt heavier, the weight of his statement pressing down on me.

I tried to dismiss the thought, but unease settled in my gut. 'What does he mean?' I had always felt a strange bond with Muramasa.

Glancing at my reflection in a nearby polished surface, my scars stood out as stark reminders of my battles. 'Was there a price I hadn't considered?'

The Blood River loomed in my thoughts, that ominous place where I felt a connection yet understood so little. I had been drawing power at my most desperate as of late, but now I questioned the cost. 'Were the scraps of cursed magic my lifespan?'

I shook my head, trying to dispel the creeping fear. 'No, it can't be that simple. I need to get stronger.' Yet, uncertainty gnawed at me. I would find answers, eventually. But for now, I had to focus on the battles ahead.

I had eventually wandered back into the stadium to watch Buddha fight, but somewhere along the way, I'd taken the wrong turn. Now, I found myself on the Gods side, specifically where Zeus and his lot sat. 'Fuck.'

They noticed me, but before anyone could speak, Buddha, who was fighting someone called Hajun, was knocked back, crashing into the ground. The crowd collectively held their breath. Then, Buddha started laughing. he stood back up, His hair falling along his back, and he picked up his broken divine weapon, which began repairing itself. 'I've missed a lot, it seems.' His divine weapon transformed into a sword, and his voice rang out across the stadium: "Great Nirvana Sword: Zero"

The battle resumed. I ignored where I was, and so did the other Gods. All eyes were on the fight.

I took a seat next to a scantily dressed blonde woman. 'She doesn't seem to like me... then again, how many gods have I met who haven't wanted to end my existence? Five? Maybe less.'

I turned my attention back to the fight, only to realize I had missed most of it again. Buddha stood, sword raised high above his head, while Hajun prepared to strike. Buddha swung down with a resounding shout. "Blade of the Celestial Eye's Awakening: Mahapari Nirvana"

In one fluid motion, he cleaved Hajun's arm off and severed his torso from his waist.

Buddha started walking away as Hajun disintegrated, cursing him all the while. Heimdall's voice rang out, declaring another victory for humanity, bringing the score four to one in favor of the humans.

Then, the gods eyes turned toward me.

"Hoho~ What are you doing here, boy?~" Zeus asked, his voice dripping with amusement and subtle hate.

I met his gaze, trying my best to ignore the piercing glare from the blonde goddess beside me. Just as I was about to answer, Heracles appeared, arms wide, and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

"Warrior Ryou! It's good to see you back on your feet!" he exclaimed, squeezing the life out of me.

"Y-yeah... think y-you could let me go?" I wheezed.

Realizing his strength, he quickly released me. "Sorry about that! Seems like you're not fully recovered!" He laughed heartily before asking, "Like Zeus said, what are you doing here?"

I sat back down beside the increasingly irritated blonde, whose glare could have melted stone. "I got lost on the path of life and just... wandered here."

Heracles roared with laughter. "I see! Well, if you needed directions I am here!"

After getting directions from Heracles, I was heading to where Brunhilde should be, but then I stopped in my tracks. 'Buddha should be at the operation room. I'll check on him first.' With that decision made, I changed course.

When I arrived and entered, I was greeted by the sight of Buddha casually lying on one of the beds, completely at ease. He waved a hand at me. "Yo~ fancy seeing you here~" he said with the same laid-back attitude, as if he hadn't just fought a grueling battle.

I scanned the room, sensing no one else around, before looking back at him. "Brunhilde told me I could save my world. Is that true?" It was a question that had been gnawing at the back of my mind. My world, my reality everything had been devoured by Trihexa.

Buddha grabbed a piece of chocolate and began munching. "She sure is a sly one~ But yeah, it's true. I can help you get back to your world." He paused, smirking. "But it wouldn't be a direct journey."

I frowned and sat down, waiting for the inevitable 'catch.' He continued, "Think of it like two different wavelengths. Where we are now is one wavelength, and where your world was is another, but they don't match up. To get them to match, you'd need to travel through different worlds, hopping from one to another."

I mulled over his words. 'So it would be one long journey... but that doesn't really solve my problem.'

Buddha seemed to pick up on my thoughts. "Your world's wavelength is gone" he said matter-of-factly. I let out a sigh. 'I figured as much.' But then he added something that piqued my interest. "Fortunately, there's a workaround, you can travel to a wavelength that is before your worlds destruction. In simpler terms, you could go back in time."

The past? Before everything was destroyed?

Buddha leaned forward slightly, sensing my curiosity. "The trick is finding a world that existed before your own was wiped out. But there's a another catch, you can't control how far back you'll go. It could be a hundred years before your world was destroyed it, or you might end up in a time far beyond your world's future. It's a gamble, So, will you still try?"

I closed my eyes, flashes of everyone's faces, their lifeless bodies, crossing my mind. I opened my eyes, determination setting in. "Yeah. So, when do we start?"

"We start now."