5: Second Chances and Freedom

After dealing with wannabe batman Itsuki and leaving him without a reincarnation, remembering that bit a little late, to deceive or potentially kill him. I left it up to the shadows to then explain everything else to him. After enchanting some Weapon Lock items for them, they robbed a corrupt merchant for the price needed for those enchants. That'd keep him from shooting them unless he clubbed them to death for some reason. If he did well then he's got balls and props to him.

My next stop after Itsuki I was going to pay this worlds' dragon emperor a visit. Mostly because he is a trove of information, and it would be stupid to let Ren murder him. Unless he damn well was good enough to get to the dragon as I kicked his ass to death. I would give the Sword Hero and party a chance to be reasonable. If they didn't take it then the deathly ass kicking would happen.

As the kids and I neared what I believed was Mirso Village, I got them to land. As before we met the Dragon and everyone else I think I should see if there were any souls that needed a second chance. Or just needed a person with no real rush to talk with. So sitting on the grass under the warm light of the sun as a breeze rustled the grass. I focused on my familiar summoning skill and ended up between all of reality in a foggy place. My ever faithful gun holstered to my hip, and a pack of four mechanical Wendigo's behind me.

"So this is where you Cardinal Weapons pick your chosen I take it? A land of souls that spans every multiverse."

The hammer of my clicked rapidly as if excited I guessed right. Which was amusing as here the weapon was extremely expressive due to there seemingly being no real restrictions here.

Looking at the four Wendigo behind me I whistled a somber tune and they seemed to cry out. A golden and green energy covering the sound they made, the fog around us being pushed away fifty feet all around us forming a bubble. From the clearing the fog deposited three different souls of three vastly different creatures.

From the fog a mass of malevolent red slime which screamed for carnage appeared. I would be an idiot to recognize Carnage due to the red slimes soul screaming its name. However, I could definitely use the violent alien slime to fight waves so I'd make it an offer if it agreed to behave.

The next soul was amusingly a rather famous rabbit fox with nine tails, and he was even whole. Kuruma's soul stared at me before looking around, seemingly lost as he processed the situation. The third soul was one that deserves a second chance most definitely as the iconic Bahamut from Final Fantasy Fourteen.

The Ancient Dragons soul is visibly worn and marred by his universe that just refuses to let him rest. So with a smile and a flick of the wrist with my gun suddenly in my hands in the form of a variant unlocked here for the Mosin-Nagant. I shot the worn soul and let my mana regeneration fuel the healing round as Bahaumut's soul shined blue. The dragon gasping with a groan as his soul visibly mends before us all. My eyes tracking my mana that would tank then refill instantly as I fired whenever the mending started to fade.

Like that for an undisclosed amount of time we watched as the dragon's soul was healed completely. Its form reflects the once majestic and imposing visage of the dragon before us properly. His eyes tiredly watching me as he gave a large fanged smile down towards me. My gun turned back to normal and holstered itself once more as I smiled back at the dragon.

"HeeeeEEEEY FUCK TOY!! Who are you and where's Cleeeetus?! Where's my favorite killing partner?!"

Looking towards Carnage I gesture around to the foggy realm between everything.

"Well I'm Kaiser Lockheart, and Cletus Cassidy, your version, is either alive, dead, or permanently killed off. As for where we are this is a place between all multiverses that souls gather is what I've come to figure out. The weapon at my hip also confirmed that, though unlike you three I'm still alive just I'm here due to using a certain method."

Kuruma and Bahamut seemed interested in the whole realm between everything tidbit. Kuruma more so as this would be the first time he's experienced it and really seen it to be true now. Carnage just grumbled before pointing a spiked red tendril at me as he spoke rather normally for once in his life, well afterlife.

"Fine, he was a fucking bitch anyways if he couldn't come with me. Just what do you want, magic man?"

"Well the method that's letting me be here is complicated, but the short of it is that I wanted to try giving someone else a second shot at life whether that's peaceful or violent due to going along with my job. My method would make you essentially a familiar tied to me, however, it wouldn't restrict you to my body, Kuruma, or a weapon, Bahamut."

The nine tailed fox flinched at the call out, but didn't say anything given I wasn't trying to force him into anything. The dragon just chuckled lightly though his voice echoed and boomed. After all, why would I fix his soul only to shove it into a weapon if I just wanted a weapon? Sure someone could do the same then do so, but they wouldn't fix his soul completely. That'd make him hard to control.

"You'd be free to take a reasonably sized form outside of my body or just stay within it. As I know you three can do either or given what you are. Regarding you though Carnage since I know you're entirely wired for fighting and blood baths. If you take this chance you'll honestly get to kill a lot of people, and unique creatures invading or threatening it due to being obsessive power hungry reincarnated individuals, idiots with power, or just all the above. But if you just don't want to fight and just want to relax then that's fine, just don't fight."

My words made the three entities of three different universes look at me. Carnage was debating the clearly free reign to kill without anyone like Venom screaming no. Kuruma looked absolutely confused that this whole time I DIDN'T want his power or anything, instead I just wanted to give him a chance to be lazy and enjoy life. Bahamut simply smiled before the dragon seemingly decided to take a leap of faith. His soul flashing purple briefly before he was now at my side. A giant visible notification appeared before everyone.

[The Draconic God, Bahamut, of a world constantly in cycles of death and rebirth has decided to leave his instance of the cycle. He has become the familiar of Kaiser Lockheart, an Executioner for the Multiverse Law and Execution Department.]

"Huh… so there's law enforcement for the Multiverse and I really am stuck as an Executioner…. At least I'm an authorized murder cop because a lot of shit heads are out there."

Bahamut, who must've had some sort of insight due to how his world worked, just seemed to be amused. The dragon tapped a claw against his scaled hide as he looked at the other two souls still debating on staying dead or taking a chance. Kuruma grumbled about something, yet he rather surprisingly took the chance given it meant he'd bound to another person once more.

[Kuruma, the Guardian Beast of a war torn world, has become the familiar of Kaiser Lockheart, an Executioner for the Multiverse Law and Execution Department.]

When Kuruma appeared at my side he spoke clearly, but I could also detect hope and him giving up at the same time.

"Don't take advantage of me kid, I just want some peace."

"Wouldn't dream on it, Kuruma, you've had enough pain in the asses wanting your powers for their fucked ideals."

The fox seemed to dismiss me as he turned his head yet I got the feeling he wanted to really believe me. So I made a silent promise to not use the fox for my own agenda, he wants peace I'll let him have it. For if anything I'm stupidly loyal to my own promises or those from friends. Though now everyone watched the murderous symbiote who eventually said "Fuck it I'm in bitches lets spill some guts!" Carnage is clearly a man of finer arts if anyone couldn't tell. After they had accepted my proposal I sorta just jolted awake.

Looking around I noticed it was now midday and that I felt my soul was a little heavier. Though it didn't take Carnage long to rear his ugly mug as he looked around before returning to my body. Just him doing what he did felt weird, it just felt weird. Kuruma and Bahamut though appeared on my shoulders as chibi's of themselves. They scanned the area before seeming to understand they wouldn't recognize anything here. That, however, made Kuruma's tails wag faintly as I could see the hope in his eyes at realizing I wasn't fully lying to him.

I can't blame the fox for having doubts as his old world literally sought to enslave him twenty-four seven. All because they wanted his power and nothing else from the sentient embodiment of chakra and I believe anything related to hate. Bahamut seeing this as well chuckled softly before sighing as his own true freedom set in for him. The dragon's claws flexed as if anxious before stilling as he seemed to chant a mantra.

Carnage wasn't showing his mug, but I could feel the symbiote going through a rollercoaster of emotions after essentially bonding with a new host. As I believe he was stress eating my liver due to that fact, as I felt it disappear then regrow a few times already. So to let the three new additions to the complex group of entities calm down and relax. I just got some steak from a canine monster from my gun's inventory that I'd bought in town. Then well I just got to grilling after making a grill.

Seeing me just not do anything or ask for anything of any of them, the three felt and looked stumped. As they just watched me grill and season dog monster steaks with no real notion of doing anything to them or asking for anything. The one that was most affected was Kuruma. I felt the fox just watch me, waiting for anything bad. Yet the longer nothing happened the more I could hear his tails wagging. Any sniffling I ignored as I wasn't going to tease the fox, just let him figure things out.

When I fed everyone, the chicks understanding there were new companions, were excited. Though they scoffed at Bahamut because he's a dragon before saying they'll tolerate a haughty dragon being around. Carnage, well he was terrified because they found him a bit too interesting, which was hilarious to have the murderous symbiote hide inside me to avoid them. Kuruma, though they gave him space and idly chirped at the fox who would snark out answers. One being about a certain monkey user.

Just spending idle time to get the three newcomer's used to their situation and the new world. It was admittedly relaxing for everyone and it was interesting at times given the interactions that'd happen. Although I'd like to think Kuruma and Bahamut were happy just not fighting since the two were currently sleeping on full stomachs without any problems. Carnage had also stopped eating my liver repeatedly.