Apprentice

Shout-out to my new patron:

Nasson Smith

You are a legend.

I'm very excited to be back on this story. As a note, I'm planning to pair MC with Ais. Harem in the future?

... only time will tell.

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(General POV)

The brightly lit up cave was filled the sounds of vigorous chewing as well as a few grunts here and there. The moonlight had dimmed a little and the previous rays of silver light that had previously settled upon the stone throne was no longer as strong as it was earlier.

Part of that was due to the fact that there were no torches lit up on the walls, there was not as much darkness to single out the moonlight in. And it was also because the moon outside was clearly setting. Meaning morning was getting nearer and nearer.

On the bank of the dark pool, there was a small campfire was roaring away as a huge chunk of meat was slowly turning over the flames. The meat was so juicy, that its fat constantly collected underneath it and dripped into the fire. Every time this happened, the fire would jump releasing a burst of heat that cooked the meat even further and brought warmth to the people sitting around it.

One was a tall, black haired, green eyed individual who was slowly turning the meat over using the skewer that had been stabbed right through it. He was staring in barely concealed mirth and laughter at the smaller black haired individual that was wolfing down large pieces of meat by the handful.

"Calm down. You keep swallowing like that at this rate and you'll just bring it right back up." Nekros shook his head as he lightly chastised his companion.

"Whatever! You can just magic up another one for me to eat with another click of your fingers!" Lyzof replied between his mouthfuls. Actually, because his mouth was so full, what he actually said came out in a bunch of incoherent sounds. But Nekros understood him all the same.

"Regardless, it would be a shame if it did happen. So try and show a little bit of restraint will you?"

Lyzof just huffed and continued eating, though notably at a slower pace now. Nekros just smiled and waited until the young lad's plate was empty. As the last piece slid down the boy's throat, he let out a large and contented sigh.

"Aaahhh! Now THAT might have been the only good thing for me you've done so far."

"I find myself complimented and insulted at the same time."

"Well get over it. You really think just this meal is enough for me to forgive you for putting me through this hell?!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

Lyzof's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Did you SERIOUSLY just ask me that? After ripping me from my homeworld, and throwing me into a fictional world I had no desire of going to? And reincarnating me into this weak body where I was forced to scoop literal s*** for a living, just so I could support the addiction of my alcoholic ingrates I called 'parents'?!"

"Well...I did give you an exceptionally powerful drive of supernatural power that slept in your body but subconsciously protected you every time you were in fear of death. So not all bad don't you think?"

Lyzof blinked in confusion, before understanding dawned on his face.

"Wait, you put Chaos in my body? When did you do that?"

"When I reincarnated you duh. And it's done its job very well if I may say so."

"What do you mean by it 'protecting me'? I don't understand."

"Well simple. You are the Host and Heir of Chaos." Nekros explained. "You are the one destined to harness all of its power for yourself, and usher in a new age of power. Whether you wish for it to be an age of Darkness, of Light, or of complete Chaos, the decision is entirely up to you.

Due to this, Chaos views her host with an almost...mother-like care. And like any mother, she will do whatever she can to protect her host against impending threat and fatalities. That includes acting independently of its host as well.

Such as when that older kid tried to stab you because you managed to nab a piece of bread on the side of the road that he wanted, you froze in fear of death and Chaos responded by using it's power to mangle him to death while trapping him in an eternity of hallucinations for the duration of his torture. Same with the dog.

Throughout your life, Chaos has protected you time and time again. But only now that you have awakened, can it now act through YOU."

Lyzof scoffed.

"Did I have to 'awaken' by having the holy sword being impaled through my heart and then having my heart shredded? That HURT you know!"

"Well I thought it might be interesting if you awoke the same way Arthur did. You both are the same after all, in more way than one?"

"How are we the same?"

"Have you not seen your reflection since you came into this world?"

"Well in this medieval world, we don't exactly have mirrors everywhere to see our reflections now do we? Especially a gutter rat like me. Why do you ask?...Wait, you didn't..."

Nekros held up a mirror that had suddenly materialized in his had. Lyzof stared into the mirror, and for the first time he saw the face he had been given in this new life.

"You made me look like Arthur Pendragon!" He exclaimed.

"Not exactly. Instead of his bright hair, I gave you black hair."

"Throw that to the side, you even gave me that stupid lock of his that hangs down his face!" Lyzof unsheathed his sword and within a second, that singular lock of hair fell to the ground.

"Why did you do that?"

"I didn't like it."

"It's a key feature in you."

"NO. Its a key feature in Arthur, and I'm not him."

Nekros shook his head in disappointment as the mirror disappeared. He held a hand out.

"Let me see your Excalibur."

"I hate that name. Too cliche."

"Then change the name in your own time. For now, let me see it."

Lyzof frowned and handed the Shikimizue over. Nekros unsheathed it, and inspected the blade, turning it around as he looked over every glimmer, every edge.

"Well, you can say that it's changed to fit it's purpose. And its wielder."

"But why a sword in a cane of all things. Why would I want a weapon like that?"

Nekros sighed and sheathed the blade again, handing it back over.

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Lyzof deadpanned as he shot a narrowed look at Nekros.

"Why do I feel like I won't like this?"

"Because you won't." Nekros's reply was blunt. "The truth is, this should have happened from the moment you awoke. But using my own power, I've been holding it back. But if I'm going to train you, then you're going to be tested in the way which will be best for you."

"Train me? What are you talking about?"

"See for yourself." A large mirror suddenly appeared in between them, with the reflective side face Lyzof. Nekros held out a hand in front of is face and clicked his fingers.

All of a sudden, Lyzof felt a huge pain well up inside the entirety of his body. His arms and legs began swelling up as black veins began appearing all over his face and his limbs. He collapsed on the ground, curling over and grasping his body tight as blood began dribbling out of his mouth.

"W-w-wha- 'cough''cough' what's happening to me?"

Nekros lowered his hands and stared down at the boy with a steel look in his eyes. Lyzof saw this, and felt a cold chill go down his spine as well as th epain intensifying.

"Look in the mirror." Nekros ordered. Lyzof obeyed, and what he saw shocked him. Apart from the horrible state his body was in, there was something fundamentally different about his face, namely his eyes.

The purple eyes of Arthur pendragon had disappeared. In it's place was a cold empty black pool with a singular glowing purple pupil. He recognized this state. It was what Arthur went through when Chaos inhabited him. But he never had these freakish veins! Why was this happening to him?

"As you are now, you will not be able to contain Chaos in your body, nor will you be able to use its power for yourself. The reason for this is because you are simply too weak, too incompatible with Chaos. And your willpower is weak, so you are not able to exert even an ounce of authority of its rampant powers." Nekros explained coldly.

The pain persisted as Lyzof continued looking up at him, barely able to absorb the information he was hearing.

"Chaos itself is unruly by nature. It cannot be controlled in any form or manner until someone meets certain conditions. You are one of the few souls I found that had the potential to control it. Don't let that get to your head. Just because you have the potential, it doesn't mean you will in the future. The secret to your power will not be able to stay under wraps in this world from certain people forever.

And if the wrong people find out what you are, there are those who will seek to manipulate you, or perceive you as a threat and eliminate you. You will be too weak to stop them, and you will not be able to protect yourself nor the ones dear to you. Face it, you are vulnerable and powerless, despite having all the power in the world."

"AND WHO'S FAULT IS THAT?" Lyzof screamed in equal anger and pain. "YOU BROUGHT ME HERE! EVEN IF I DIED, YOU TOOK ME FROM MY MOTHER, AND STRANDED ME HERE IN THE DIRT!"

"Do you want to go home boy?!" Nekros said loudly.

"YES! SEND ME HOME."

"Then first, attain the power to seize your own fate! And you will accomplish that only under my guidance! So, Alex Turner, or Lyzof Keele... will you become my apprentice?"

"Are you having a cliché power trip? Trying to emulate a trope are we?"

"Do you have many choices? Death is the only outcome for you if you choose anything else. And if you die again, this time you will truly be lost in the void. And you can kiss goodbye to any semblance of hope you might have of seeing your homeworld again. So I ask...will you bend the knee?"

Lyzof gritted his teeth. He could feel his frail limbs shaking, as if they were about to explode at any moment.

"Say it! Will you remain so weak that I will always be able to exert my authority over you, and move you around like a chess piece on my chessboard? Or will you swear your loyalty to my teachings, learn sacred arts which I offer to you for free, and rip that ability from me in the end?"

"No. I-I-I will not be weak. I will find my way home."

"Then swear yourself as a child of Nekros. Be the first of MY Familia. And I will show you the way home."

Lyzof's eyes began to droop as blood began leaking from them. His voice became rasping and weak.

"Y-you have o-only brought me here, so that I provide entertainment for you. Will you truly keep your word, and tell me how to become strong? Will you show me the way home?"

"I will show you the direction you need to go in order to find the answer to that question. I will train you to be the most powerful mortal this world has ever seen. That is all I shall offer to you. So, will you serve?"

Lyzof grunted, the pain having reached unfathomable heights at this point. It was taking every ounce of strength he had to stay awake. A few moments passed before he relented and bowed his head.

"I-I swear myself to your teachings, Master Nekros. I swear myself as your child. I ask only that you show me the path to power, so that I find the path home."

Nekros smiled before he pulled out a long strip of cloth and tossed it him. He spoke in a gentler voice this time.

"Then put this around your eyes, and stand up." 

Nekros frowned confused, but he would do anything to make this pain stop. he wound the piece of fabric around his eyes, tying it in a tight knot around his head. Darkness consumed his vision as he closed his eyes underneath. He heard Nekros continue.

"As long as your eyes are closed, the majority of Chaos's powers will be held back. And you can draw from it to a reasonable degree. As you level up in the future, you will be able to open your eyes again, and use Chaos's powers to its fullest extent. When that happens, it doesn't matter who you face, nobody can stand in your way. 

But do not think that all you need to do is whip off the blindfold when you face a more powerful enemy. Because although you will be able to use Chaos for extended periods of time, the more your control will slip on her. Too much, and it doesn't matter if your blindfolded or not, your body will shred apart."

"But what will you be teaching me...Master?" Lyzof gritted his teeth, the word bitter on his tongue.

"As the King of Chaos, you will be able to use many abilities you've seen from the Seven Deadly Sins anime. I will teach you some of them as a beginner's guidance for you. But the rest you will have to figure out on your own.

And one of the many boons your title grants you is the ability to use several different magics, when usually humans are restrained to a minimum of three. You will also have many powers foreign to this world.

As well as sharpening your sword skills, I will be teaching you how to grasp those abilities and use them."

"But how am I supposed to do all that if I can't see?"

"You can see. The Host of Chaos does not need his own eyes in order to see. You know what I mean. You've seen it yourself."

Lyzof concentrated. The new energy present in his body that threatened to rip him part earlier suddenly rushed up to his eyes. Darkness faded away as he saw through the blindfold and saw Nekros standing there, arms folded.

"Using Chaos, you can see what you want to see." Nekros continued. "As well as serving great purpose in deception, you will find that Chaos will be used for multiple other things. But we will go through those one by one. Pick up your weapon!"

Nekros tossed Excalibur towards him. he picked it up and unsheathed the blade, pointing it towards Nekros. Nekros materialized a sword of his own, put a hand behind his back and got into a stance.

"Show me what you're currently worth, my apprentice."

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Read a few chapters ahead on my P@treon:

P@treon/ Vulkizaro_Zoromi

Give this story as much support as you're willing. Because Lyzof's adventure is just beginning!