Chapeter 18 Kratos, The Spartan Trainer

CONRAD(POV)

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I can't believe it. Why is the supposed strongest, yet brutal god here? Right now, he stands in front of the throne, looking down at me.

"Hmm... Does my appearance shock you?" He questions me, noticing my blank stare.

Snapping out of my stupor, I reply, "N-no, not at all. I'm just processing the things that have happened to me in these past moments."

He descends the staircase, coming closer to me. "Boy, I have a question."

"Go ahead," I agree.

"Who am I? And based on the way you saw me, do you know my identity? I can't remember myself, and I don't know why or how," he pleads, seeking answers.

I'm bewildered and confused. He doesn't know who he is? "Sorry, but are you telling me you have amnesia?"

He confirms, "I suppose that's the case. But please answer my first question."

"Well, yes, I do know who you are, starting from scratch," I answer. He seems relieved by my response.

Kratos daydreams for a second, contemplating whether he wants to know more or not. However, his determination to regain his lost memory and identity shines through as he looks at me.

"Okay. I want you to tell me everything you know about me, from the beginning to the end," he demands.

"Fine, but we shouldn't waste any time here," I respond, expressing my concern.

"And why is that?" he glares, urging me to reveal his past.

"Because right now, me and the other person are still in the middle of a fight with her brother," I inform him, making him aware of our current situation.

He looks at me, a comical question mark appearing in his head. "I don't know how you haven't noticed, but when we are inside the depths of the armband, time is faster than in the real world."

I can't believe it. "H-how?"

"When the armband attaches to you, we come with it. No memories are attached, just full of weapons, each in our own space domain. In terms of your time, it's like minutes out there, but in here, we've been stuck for at least ten thousand years," he explains.

Coming to terms with what he just said, I realize that the laws of time inside the armband are different from the ones outside. If my assumptions are correct, I can train here for many years as I want, just like in 'Dragon Ball's' Hyperbolic Time Chamber. However, something catches my attention in his words.

"And what do you mean by 'we'?" I ask.

"We? I mean, there are five others like me in this place, each with their own domain. But we don't get along with each other. I'm the only one who can be reasoned with," he explains, revealing the existence of other individuals like him. I wonder who they are.

"If what you said is true, then it means that if I were to train here for a hundred years, I would age and die in this place," I complain, concerned about the consequences.

"Basically, no. What brought you here is not your physical body, but your mind and soul," he assures me, alleviating my fears of aging.

"Then, if you truly want to know your past and identity, you need to accept it, no matter what they are," I tell him, emphasizing the importance of accepting the truth. Without further hesitation, I begin to tell him about himself, a process that takes three whole days.

A pair of chairs materialize out of thin air, facing each other, and we sit down. I recount to him that he is a Spartan general named Kratos who fought against the barbarians. He called upon the help of Ares, the god of war, and succeeded. However, he was tricked into committing heinous acts, including the murder of innocent people and his own family, which enraged him. Breaking his oath to Ares, Ares rebelled against Olympia. In his rebellion, he faced a warrior who turned out to be Kratos. He defeated Ares, the god of war, and was promised by the Olympians that he would be freed from his sins. Feeling abandoned by the Olympians after accomplishing his task, he attempted to take his own life. However, instead of dying, he was granted the position of the new god of war by the Olympians. And so on, the story unfolds as I reveal more details about his past and journey.

Kratos took a moment of silence to absorb all the information about his past. He raised his head, a sense of relief washing over him as he learned that his son Atreus had accepted him as his father, despite all the deeds he had done in the Greek pantheon. Knowing that he had made an impact on the four major pantheons in his past, he felt glad to finally know the truth.

"Thank you, Boy. Your words have cleared my mind, and I have no regrets in my life," he thanked me.

"You're welcome, and my name is James Conrad," I introduced myself, realizing that I hadn't shared my name earlier.

"Sure, James Conrad," he acknowledged.

Kratos stood from his chair and extended his arms towards me. "Knowing who I am and having lived, I can finally leave this place in peace. And I will give you something."

Curiosity sparked within me as I wondered what he would give me.

A chain materialized in my forearms, coiling around them. Two red curved short swords appeared on my back, and a golden armlet adorned my right arm.

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"Whoa! Are these your blades? Why are you giving them to me?" I asked, fully aware of the potential consequences they could bring.

He released his hand from mine and said, "Because I know you can wield them without succumbing to their consequences. You understand war and peace, which is why I'm entrusting you with my weapons." With a snap of his fingers, the throne room transformed into a weapon storehouse, surprising me.

"Conrad, I have seen your past, and I have hope that you will use these weapons for something meaningful rather than senseless killing," he said, enlightening me. My past?

"Wait! You said you saw my past?" I questioned.

"Yes, and I apologize for making you explain my origins. I knew that my existence was merely fictional," he admitted.

So, he knew about his origins all along and wasted my time just to play this little game.

"HAAAH... I'm surprised you remain calm after knowing you're just a fictional character," I sighed in disbelief.

He chuckled, seemingly amused. "I was merely testing you. Rest assured, the other four do not know, and who knows what they would do if they saw your memories," he spoke casually, as if it were of little consequence.

"Since you have no experience using these weapons, despite having seen how they work, I will train you for at least a thousand years in this realm," he clicked his fingers again, and the surroundings transformed into a death coliseum.

"This is where your Spartan training begins, and don't expect any mercy from me. I will not hold back until you have mastered the use of all my weapons," he declared. Now, he would become my strict and merciless instructor. Considering how time worked in this realm, I could potentially become incredibly strong by the time I left.

"To start, kill these fifty undead soldiers within a day, but don't get too comfortable. They were once Spartan warriors in life," he summoned five dozen undead Spartans.

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ROOOOAAAAARRRRR

As I gazed at the coliseum filled with these creatures, it felt like I was in a deadly game, fighting these magical undead beings. Surprisingly, I didn't feel fear. Instead, adrenaline surged through my veins, urging me to take action. I leaped down and drew the Blades of Chaos from my back, clicking them together with a satisfying sound.

"Let the party begin!" I exclaimed, ready to face the challenge ahead.

(Authors Thought:

I just assumed that kratos invaded or visited the other two mythical pantheons in the game.)