The Truth

After putting his armor back into its storage container, he now had to deal with a very annoying issue. Explaining to his family what Quency was lying. Kratos cleared his throat as both parents did not look happy. Quency had a beaming smile as the mess she caused by opening her mouth was already worth it. 

"Look, she is just a prankster and likes to make drama. So, anything coming out of her mouth is 90% lies, 5% exaggeration, and 5% pure chaos starting."

Kronus accepted that pretty quickly as he could care less who his son was screwing. Even if what he was screwing was a super weapon in the shape of a woman.

"Look, that is between you so I don't care."

Eleanor though, looks totally mortified and annoyed.

"Son, I think that should be discussed between yourselves."

He rolled his eyes as he began to walk away after picking up the container for his armor.

"I get it already, stop with the teasing."

Quency grinned and started to follow him. Guilty, Sin and Scathach also followed after them as they preferred to stick close to him. They also took the containers for their weapons as they could be useful later on. Meanwhile, Quency looked up at his face with her normally teasing expression.

"So? How do you like my re-introduction to the in-laws?"

Kratos reached down with his left hand and flicked her on the nose.

"Ow."

"Very funny, almost funny enough for me to make you eat skunk-flavored Splendamin for the rest of your life."

Quency just patted him on his arm.

"Oh come on, it was funny. Right girls."

Guilty shrugged as she did not care. Sin though found it hilarious.

"Honestly, Quency sure knows when to cause trouble for you. That mouth is more of a weapon than my voice."

Quency had a knowing smile as that sounded like an innuendo.

"Yeah, just wait till you find out."

"Shut up Quency."

"Not happening."

Either way, when they got to the second floor, Kratos opened the door to his childhood room. His squad entered as they wanted to see what it was like and they found it nice. Quency looked around his room and found it was just what she expected.

On the walls were several posters of old games, anime, and even a shelf where he had several 3d printed miniatures of Warhammer, and other movies from before the rapture war. As for the bed, it was just as big as the one in his current house. 

Quency smiled as she looked at Kratos.

"So, this is what you were into as a kid?"

He nodded.

"Yes. As you can see, most of the posters were from anime, games, or even movies I found cool. My name was based on the Greek god Cratos, the brother of Nike the goddess of Victory. My father named me Kratos with a K for that guy."

They looked at a poster of a ash-white man, with a large red tattoo over his body. Guilty leaned in as it was a nice poster.

"What this from?"

"From an old game called God of War. The protagonist is named Kratos, as the game is based on Greek mythology. Does anyone want to play? I got a big collection of games, anime, and movies from before the war."

Sin was almost surprised by how much pre-rapture war stuff his family had.

"How do you have all this stuff?"

"Most of the internet at the time was downloaded into the Ark Database and recreating such simple things from that time is easy."

Sin sat down on his bed as she looked at the giant TV covering his wall.

"Alright, I will play."

He turned on the TV and fired up the game console which could play any game he wanted. He selected God of War and prepared for a long gaming session. However, before that they all set their new weapons in their storage containers and got to playing.

It was a good thing that the controllers were made tough so even Guilty got to play a few rounds. However, once they finished the first game they all found that Kratos from the game and their Kratos were in some ways similar.

Tall, strong, and determined, but very different in others. But considering they all needed minimal sleep, they spent a big chunk of the day just playing video games, watching movies, and even watching anime from before the Rapture War.

However, Scathach was transfixed on the TV when the character she was named after came up.

"So you named me after her?"

He nodded.

"Yeah. Felt it matched you. Don't like it?"

Scathach shook her head as her face was currently uncovered.

"No, I am happy that you chose the name of such a strong female warrior, but I feel unworthy of her name. But if I could change anything, I think I want to be like her."

He smiled with a knowing smile.

"Who knows? Maybe you might."

"Really?"

He shrugged.

"Who knows?"

Her face scrunched up as he was keeping something secret. She reached out and poked him in the ribs.

"Can't you give me a clue?"

Kratos simply shrugged.

"Sad to say I have no idea what you mean."

Quency shook her head and patted Scathach on the head. Easily achievable as the tallest of the bunch.

"I know, waiting sucks, but hey surprises are fun."

Scathach smiled as that made sense.

"I guess so, but I still want to know now."

Guilty just had one question.

"So, what upgrades do you think we will get?"

That made him stop smiling as he was honest.

"I was thinking of going all the way and replacing my left arm, right leg, and right eye with matching limbs to my current ones."

That made the 4 of them stare at him in shock. Even Sin was left in near astonishment.

"You would go that far?"

He nodded.

"Goddisium feels just like human skin so other than the power they grant me, these new limbs don't feel any different than a human one. But, to be frank, I am sure they also enhanced my current human limbs because I weigh 900 pounds.

All that weight on a regular human leg would cause it to crumple so I might as well go all the way through. As for you girls, just some spec upgrades. From what I can tell, the three of you other than Scathach are up-to-date 9th generation who use pure mechanical muscle fibers and bodies.

Before the 9th gen Nikkes still used regular muscle. The 9th is where they went into pure mechanical which has its advantages. As for me, I have experimental 10th gen which is supposed to have the best of the 8th and 9th generations in one.

My bio-mechanical muscle fibers can be trained, improved, and healed on their own, and they won't deteriorate. That is what my family laboratory was researching as the 9th generation of Nikkes were powerful, but could not be improved without actual mechanical upgrades.

And then you have Scathach which is a mass-produced model that comes with its own issues. But, Scathach, want to know something curious about you?"

She nodded.

"What is it? Am I defective?"

He shook his head.

"No, you are actually of exceptional quality compared to the regular Soldier EG model. Every Nikke even Mass produced ones comes with its own set of issues. You, lack most of those which is either pure luck, or you were designed to be a more reliable specimen."

Scathach nodded.

"And the corruption?"

He stoped to think about it.

"That is something I can't explain. Through sheer force of will you dragged my half-dead corpse back. The thing that makes you unique is that brain, the brain of a human. So, don't consider yourself a Mass Produced Model, you have a name. 

And you part of my squad, The Minotours."

Sin raised her hand.

"Yes."

"Can we change the name? You just named us that because you didn't want to be part of a feminine squad name."

"Tsk."

Quency smirked at him.

"I heard that. So it's true? So selfish. I propose we name this squad Kratos' Harem."

With a dead look on his face, he refused.

"Denied."

Sin also did not like that.

"No."

Scathach shook her head.

"No thank you."

As for Guilty, she looked away from Quency.

"I don't know you."

Quency pouted.

"I thought it was a good name. How rude."

Kratos rolled his eyes.

"Anyone else with a smarter name?"

Guilty had a suggestion."

"Since Kratos is named after Cratos the god of Strength, and we are Nikkes named after Nike the goddess of Victory. And we are all trying to take back the surface from the Raptures, so why not call the squad The Fallen? In a way, haven't we all fallen?"

Sin grinned under her mask.

"Now that is a good name."

Kratos thought about it as his first idea was pretty much just for his sake.

"I like it. But, maybe I should get Dad to put a Dark Angel patch on my armor."

Quency nodded before she leaned back and rested her head on Kratos' shoulder.

"It's decided then?"

Scathach also liked it.

"I think yes. No one has anything against it right?"

5 head shakes later and the squad was off-color and was going to be named the Fallen. Kratos and his 4 female companions spent the whole day going through the many games, anime, and movies that Kratos and it was fun.

But that was the last relatively fun day they had, as for the next 5 days they spent big chunks of time in the Simulation Room going through different scenarios. In one, Kratos sent them after a Tyrant Class rapture to see how they did.

The results were better than expected in that they killed it with relatively minimal damage. Through these exercises, they were quickly finding flaws in their strategy which they fixed the next time they went at it.

But, more importantly, he managed to spend a long while with his family. He was still angry that his Father would not tell him the extent of his modifications, but he decided to just bottle it up for now. That meant in three months, so Kratos planned to use that time well. 

---

5 Days later Kratos was planning on heading back home. He was currently in his Father's office as his Father spoke in private to him. 

"Alright, you said you wanted upgrades to you and those 4. What upgrades do you want for yourself."

Kratos sighed and spoke honestly.

"I want you to replace my other limbs and eye."

Kronus sighed as he looked at his son.

"Son, you already know that your limbs were enhanced right?"

Kratos nodded. 

His human limbs were much weaker than his main Nikke ones, but they were still many times stronger than a regular human.

"I do."

"When we replaced your limbs, we were forced to enhance the opposite not to give you unbalanced issues. To fully replace them will be extensive surgery that will need to have you worked on by a team of engineers and medics along with my lab doing the more secretive work. As for the Nikkes in your squad, what upgrades could you want?"

"10th gen enhancements."

Kronus sighed.

"The 10th Generation is not even ready yet. Using what I have gleamed was already hard on you and we Cromwell men are a genetically superior breed. Guilty, Sin, and Quency would be easier as they are at the top of what the 9th generation can achieve. But Scathach, she is a Soldier EG a disposible unit. Upgrading her would be pointless."

"Then build her a new body and move her brain into that one."

Kronus covered his face.

"I mean I could do all of that, but what for? What is drawing you up to the surface so much?"

Kratos sighed.

"I hate the Ark. Every time I am down here, I feel trapped. Like an insect in a fucking terrarium. At any moment the big bad Raptures will come down here and kill everyone. Well, I rather not be the bug in the tank, I rather be up there on the surface where I take the fight to the Raptures.

Where I am truly free."

Kronus lowered his head as that sentiment was not unheard of. He felt it in his youth, but no longer.

"I will do it. You will need time to recover after the operations considering the amount of modifications you will need to undergo to have your right leg, left arm, and other eye right eye modified. Not to mention all the muscle replacements, and enhancements you will need to undergo."

As for Scathach, I will get them working on a better body. The other 3 will be getting a similar enhancement to you."

"I appreciate this."

Kronus closed his eyes and sighed.

"Don't tell your mother or your sisters. They already feel terrible that you had to undergo the first procedure. If they find out you undergo another one Hera and your mother might just might die."

"I won't."

Kratos got up and began to walk out of the office, but Kronus called him back.

"Son."

When Kratos turned around he saw how serious his Father looked.

"Yes?"

"Sit. You win. I will tell you just what had to be done to save your life." 

Kratos sat back down, but before they started, Kronus served them both whiskey shots.

"To start off, you already know about your limbs and eyes so I will skip them. The explosion, shrapnel, and other injuries were beyond extensive. Your unique Cromwell genetics and Scathach protecting you with her body were all that saved your life.

The adrenaline kept your heart pumping long enough for her to drag you back. When you entered the Ark, you were transported to the best lab where I called in several favors. The three Manufacturers were forced to help me so they sent their Engineers and Doctors to work with my people.

Let me start by saying what we used to power your new body. Your heart was in tatters son. It had to be replaced. Your new heart is a 10th Gen heart so it's biomechanical. It will never fail and reacts to stress.

Not only that, your lungs, intestines, liver, kidneys, even your goddamn stomach had to be replaced. But, just replacing your heart would do you no good as your veins and arteries would barely be able to handle the strain.

We replaced those and most of your muscles were replaced with biomechanical ones. This means your ligaments and tendons need to be advanced to deal with the power behind your body. But the weight became an issue, so your skeleton was infused with Goddesium which is why your spine had to be replaced.

It's shocking how much we had to replace as fixing one issue caused more somewhere else. And this is what my lab did, on top of your new heart, I ordered a unique piece of tech to be placed in your body in conjunction with your heart. 

A mixture of a Nikke Reactor and a Rapture Core was placed next to your heart. It produces the energy needed for your biomechanical body."

Kratos placed a hand on his chest and grinned.

"I like the sound of that. When can I get the other enhancements?"

"As I said, two months, with no less than a month of rest. That goes for the 5 of you, but do you not care?"

Kratos shook his head.

"No, not at all. I like the sound of me being unique. So, genetic engineering?" 

"When the Rapture war first happened we humans were dabbling in the concept. It's been 80 years and I have researched every possible advantage. Even that one."

Kratos downed his last shot and left his father's office in a much better mood. Kronus was not as happy as his son, but Kratos was a unique individual after all.

'Good luck son.'