Power Corrupts: Small Goodbyes (ch.28) (Patreon)

I dropped the mangled corpse of Zanis and took in a deep breath of air, the smell of blood so thick in the small room that I could practically taste it. Whoever said that vengeance was unfulfilling was an idiot. Satisfaction filled me as I leaned over, picking up the sword that Zanis dropped before I tore his spine out, and approached the door. The castle was filled with the sounds of chaos -- Soma members left outside hacked at the doors downstairs to get back in, some were gathering up and running up the stairs. With a roar, I heard more run into the castle when the door was opened for them.

They didn’t realize he was dead yet. And that was fine. My grudge wasn’t just against Zanis and Soma -- it was the entire familia. All of them partook in Lili’s beating, and even if they hadn’t thrown a punch or a kick, then they didn’t do anything to stop it either. For that, they were going to die. 

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t rational. It wasn’t justice. But I didn’t want justice. I wanted vengeance. I didn’t even want an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and an evil for an evil. I couldn’t. If I stopped at that, then at best I could give them all an ass-kicking. That wasn’t enough. That wasn’t anywhere near enough. I wanted them dead. Every single last one of them. 

And, even better, I had three days to do it. The main obstacles were removed. Now it was just mopping up. 

Not to mention...I could use the jump start to my new exp bar.

Jericho

Level: 2

Title: Under Leveled

Progress to level 3: 0/5,000,000

Strength: 123 (+151= 274)

Endurance: 150 (+225= 375)

Dexterity: 130 (+169= 199)

Intelligence: 88 (+77=165)

Sense: 155 (+240= 390)

Development Abilities:

Physical Resistance: The user receives 15% less damage. Effectiveness is determined by the Endurance stat.

Abnormal Resistance: Poisons, Toxins, and Drugs are 15% less effective. Effectiveness is determined by the Endurance stat.

Fire Resistance: The user receives 15% less damage. Effectiveness is determined by the Endurance stat.

Swordsman: Increased parameters when wielding swords. Effectiveness is determined by Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Sense.

Bludgeon Expert: Increased parameters when using blunt weapons. Effectiveness is determined by Strength and Endurance.

Berserker: Increased parameters proportional to the user’s rage.

Skills:

Gamer Body: The user’s body is that of a video game.

Massage: Skilled hands make targets tension and exhaustion melt away. Effectiveness is determined by Dexterity and Strength stat.

Kissing: An intimate act between lovers that, if done well, can bring pleasure to the target. Effectiveness is determined by the Dexterity and Sense stat.

Sex: Greatly enhances parameters when engaging in sexual intercourse. Effectiveness is determined by Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, and Sense stats.

Dishwashing: Stains and dried on food are easier to remove. Effectiveness is determined by Strength stat.​

Footwork: The basis for all martial talents. Effectiveness is determined by Dexterity.

Vengeance: Increases attack damage against enemies. Heavily increases attack damage dealt to those that the user bears a personal grudge against. 

That was both more and less than what I expected. I thought that it would be a flat increase, perhaps double or more my current stats, but that didn’t match up. If I had to guess, it was a percentage increase...huh. It looked like it was a ten percent increase for every ten stat points that I had. So, while Intelligence received 88% of 88, bringing the increase to 77 point increase, Sense had received a 155% increase, which explained the 240 boost. 

However...that boost seemed to be an invisible base judging by the lack of windows popping in front of my vision. With a jump like that, I should be getting a dozen of them for every increment of fifty or so, and perks for reaching milestones. And, as I feared, the invisible base wasn’t applying to my development abilities, which is why my damage resistance didn’t shoot up to thirty-seven percent. 

Even still...I was more than twice as strong as I was before. 

A warrior rushed into the room, screaming with his weapon raised high. He didn’t even get the chance to lower it before my new slender blade darted forward and punched right through his chest piece, the steel giving way like paper. Testing my strength, I ripped the blade free rather than pulling the blade out as the sound of the doors giving out finally sounded. 

I stood at the doorway, cracking my neck as I casually put on my helmet that I had tossed to the side. Here, their numbers were limited, I had a way out through the back window, and they would have trouble hitting me with arrows. 

They said that a single level 2 was worth twenty level 1s. 

I wonder how true that is. 

…

“Oi...chibi, your child is a real piece of work,” Loki commented as all the gods fell silent as they watched the massacre that was befalling the Soma familia. The first wall of bodies crashed into Jericho, but he cut them apart, limbs flying free and blood splashing on the walls. Out of the hundreds left, only a handful had been killed, but already the Soma familia was starting to break. “Ganesha had to cut off the broadcast to the general public,” she informed, kicking her feet up. 

Hestia didn’t respond as Jericho did the surprising thing. He stepped forward, pushing the Soma familia back. More surprisingly, the Soma familia took a step back. Which prompted Jericho to take another step forward, then another, and another, until he was in the thick of it and he massacred everyone in his way. 

“When did he level up? Back with the minotaurs? I heard he fought an infant dragon solo, so maybe that was it,” Loki asked, but Hestia knew better than to think that she was talking to her. Loki was talking to the other gods, though most of them didn’t react. There was something transfixing about the carnage that Jericho unleashed upon the Soma familia, using his strength to tear through them and his armor to protect himself from blows. 

He did level up, Hestia realized. Only he didn’t need her to update his falna to do it. Hestia was glad for it -- she had questioned the wisdom of not leveling up before facing level 2s, but she trusted Jericho’s judgment on the matter. If he thought he could do it, then she believed him, and he had proved her faith correct. 

“Hmmm...but hasn’t Jericho only been an adventure for a month?” Hermes spoke up next to her, sending Hestia a sideways glance. “I guess some people are simply born to be adventurers,” he commented after a few seconds when she chose not to respond. 

Hestia didn’t know what she was feeling as she watched what Jericho unleashed upon the Soma familia. It wasn’t horror or joy, but something in between. She was...glad, for a lack of a better word. Glad that her child was winning. Glad that those that made Lili suffer so were paying the price. Glad that this entire nightmare was finally coming to an end. 

And it did come to an end. There was no grand climax or explosive finish. Time ticked by, minutes turned into an hour, but the Soma familia began to break. Some ran, but those that didn’t died, which spurred more to run. 

There were no secondary leaders that took control of the Soma familia. They fought as individuals, and they died as individuals. The last hour of the War Game was spent on the hunt after Jericho broke them at the castle. Hundreds became dozens, then that number was chipped away until there were only a few left. 

Then there were none. 

With two and a half days left on the clock, the War Game ended. Unlike every time before, it wasn’t answered with explosive applause and cheering, or vicious boos and cursing. Instead, it was answered by a silence that spoke volumes. 

That silence continued as Jericho stood, panting over the corpse of the last member of the Soma familia. Slowly, Hestia stood up, and without speaking a word to anyone, she walked towards the elevator. 

Of all people, her gaze landed on Freya and saw that her silver eyes were following her as she left. Just as the door slid shut, Hestia saw the goddess of fertility smile at her. Hestia didn’t give that any thought for the moment, in favor of turning her attention to the next step at hand. 

…

I was absolutely drenched in blood, enough so that the god that teleported us from Orario refused to touch me before he teleported me back to the city gates. There was a crowd awaiting my return, but for every person cheering, there were ten others that looked at me with fear or disgust. The Soma familia didn’t have many friends, but it seemed that killing them all hadn’t won me any. If anything, I alienated myself. 

But that was okay. Because I was done with this city and pretty much everyone in it. 

I continued forward, the crowd parting for me like the red sea, one destination on my mind. This, no matter what anyone said, wasn’t over just yet. I broke off from main street, heading towards the Soma familia home. It might just be me projecting, but it was like I could feel his presence like a beacon. Like he was announcing where I could find him. 

At the very least, it seemed that he wasn’t running away. 

Outside of the gates was Hestia to my surprise. She looked up at me, and, for the briefest moments, I was afraid. I talked to her about it, but talking and doing were two very different things. Hestia was about as pure as pure got, and...I could only imagine what they were going to say about me when the dust settled. Only I didn’t care what they thought. If Hestia…

I didn’t need to worry, in the end, because Hestia smiled brightly. Almost as if nothing was wrong. 

“You’re safe,” Hestia said, relief coloring her tone as a weight seemed to be lifted from her shoulders. I reached up and took off my helmet, revealing sweat-soaked skin and a bird’s nest for hair, but I managed to give her a grin that conveyed that I was fine. 

“I’m in one piece, as promised,” I said, approaching her. My boots squelched, soaked through with blood and I knew I was leaving a trail of footprints behind. I wanted to reach out and give her a crushing hug, but I couldn’t. My armor was drenched in blood and gore -- the movies never touched on just how messy death was. 

Even still, Hestia walked up to me, holding out her hand expectantly. I hesitated for the briefest of seconds before I reached out and gave her hand a small squeeze. Despite the blood staining her hands, Hestia smiled at me as she took in a deep breath. 

“Let’s go deal with Soma...and leave this place with Lili,” Hestia spoke with a sense of finality as she gently led the way. The gate was left open as if welcoming us. Walking through them, I pushed the door open once we reached it. It was unlocked, swinging open with a low groan from hinges that desperately needed some oil. The Soma familia home, once so full, seemed to be completely empty. And it almost was, with only one person inside. The sound of scraping seemed to echo throughout the manor, but I realized that it was simply because my hearing was so sharp.

I took a step inside first, still holding Hestia's hand. My feet were as light as a feather, but the rest of my armor sure wasn't. Chainmail and plates of armor clanked together noisily, and I must be wearing about a hundred pounds of armor, putting me around a quarter of a ton in weight. Meaning, our approach was loud as we walked up the stairs. 

The door to Soma's room was left open, letting the sound escape from it. Walking in unison, Heatia and I approached to see Soma using a mortar and pestle. 

Unlike before, he looked up when we entered. I felt his gaze on me as we walked into the room, his hands pausing their grinding motions. 

“Is there anyone left alive in my familia?” Soma asked and...he...hadn’t even watched the War Game. It wasn’t surprising. Not really. Even still, I felt myself grow just...disgusted with him. I hated him already, but the sheer amount of apathy to not even watch the War Game that your familia is participating in…

“Just Lili,” I answered, my other hand tightening on the weapon I looted from Zanis. “Barely. She’s in a coma and we don’t know if she’s going to wake up,” I told him and, of all things, that seemed to get a reaction from the deadbeat god. The edges of his lips tugged downward, frowning at me as he set the pestle to the side. 

“I see…” And that was all he had to say as he leaned into his chair. Two words. I hated him more than Zanis in that moment, and I ripped Zanis apart with my hands. 

“Jericho,” Hestia spoke my name sharply, and it was only then that I realized that I had let go of hers and I was a single step away from hacking the god into pieces. Soma simply looked up at me, nothing about his posture hinted that he even cared that he was one swing away from getting the boot back to heaven. 

“Soma...Lili doesn’t want to wake up,” Hestia spoke, and I realized that she was just as furious as I was. She didn’t express it with murderous rage, but her eyes burned with an anger that was just as intense. “She’s given up. She gave into your wine, and she’s given up on her life because she failed your test.”

Soma didn’t say anything as Hestia approached, her tone even. The only outward sign of her anger was her hands clenched into fists. She came to a stop in front of Soma after I moved out of her way. 

“I want you to use your arcanum to wake her up. I want you to clean up the...mess that you created,” Hestia said, making my heart clench. I didn’t think of that. My thoughts were full of rage and death, so dead set on tearing Soma apart that I didn’t even consider that we could use him. 

But...if he used his arcanum, then I wouldn’t get to kill him. 

And, for a moment, I wondered if it was worth it. We could find another way to wake Lili up -- it could take time, but we had other possible options. I would only get this one chance to kill Soma, though. Then I shoved those thoughts to the side as I lowered my sword, willing to accept the decision even if I did want to kill him. 

Soma looked at me for a moment, as if waiting for me to lop his head off. When I didn’t, he turned back to Hestia. “I will do as you ask,” he said with a nod before he reached into a drawer and passed Hestia a slip of paper. “This is my will,” he informed as Hestia took it. 

Then he turned to me, his mouth opening but I shook my head. 

“Save it. I don’t want to hear a word you have to say,” I cut him off before he could begin. “I’m never going to forgive you for what you did, so don’t waste your breath.” Hestia glanced at me, I could practically feel her disapproval, but she let out a small sigh and didn’t argue with me. 

Soma nodded, accepting my rebuke with grace. He said nothing after that, and I didn’t expect him too. I was hit with an air of power -- the only thing that I could compare it to was a wave the size of a mountain crashing directly on top of me before sweeping me from the shore to drag me into the depths of the ocean. My lungs refused to accept any air as the room was filled with every color that the human eye could see. 

Soma drifted upwards, his body glowing, and once his head was in danger of hitting the ceiling, a blinding flash of light emitted from him. I blinked, covering my eyes but even then I was seeing second images for a few seconds. I noticed Soma’s absence by the lack of overwhelming power that seemed to crush me with its mere presence. Only when he was gone did I remember that I needed to breathe. 

“Jericho...you won’t be needing that,” Hestia spoke. She was talking about my sword...and my armor. “You’ll scare Lili when you see her,” she tacked on. My vision rapidly cleared as I looked down at myself. I knew I was covered in blood, but now that it started to dry, it was a horror show. My armor was already a mess of black adamantine, green mythril, silver steel, and brown bronze. The sword that I carried in my hand was covered in blood, most of it dried by now. 

Then my gaze landed on the hand that I held. Her pale skin was covered in a bright red that had soaked into my gloved hands. I had noticed, worried about it earlier, but now... that...that was a slap to the face. The fight was done. The Soma familia was destroyed, all the way down to their god. We had won. And the blood of our enemies was staining my goddess red. Like water on a flame, the rage that had simmered in my chest vanished into nothing, only steam to mark that it was there at all. 

Part of me wanted to put the weapon into my inventory, but that wasn’t enough for me. Numbly, the blade fell from my hand, clattering to the floor. My gauntlet followed after it, then the forearm guard. Fingers covered in adamantine armor tore at the armor locks, only for Hestia’s hands to place themselves on mine. 

Slowly, she began to remove my armor in silence. Each piece clattered to the floor in a growing pile, but before long, I was free of my armor. The Hestia Armor went into my inventory, leaving me bare. My white long sleeve was stained with blood, soot, and sweat. My pants were black, covering up the worst of the stains, but the fringes were singed by fire and there were holes where I was shot. Blood had soaked through my armor in countless places, staining my body with it. 

However, Hestia held my hands and forced me to look her in the eyes. There was a gentle smile on her face before she leaned in, pressing her lips into mine. The fact that I was sitting down allowed the action and I was grateful for it. Out of everything that happened today, her lips made me melt -- tension that I had carried...since I let Canoe live that day in the Dungeon eased out of me.

As soon as she pulled back, I missed the feeling. She rested her forehead against mine, practically supporting me to stop me from falling flat on my face because without my rage exhaustion hit me like a brick. It wasn’t physical exhaustion, and it wasn’t because I needed to sleep -- it was emotional exhaustion. My brain was begging to be shut off for a bit, but there wasn’t any time for it.

“Let’s go see Lili,” Hestia spoke, pulling back softly and tugging on my arms. Standing was a herculean feat, but I managed it. I peeled off my boots, revealing blood-soaked socks, so I took them off as well. 

“Let’s go see Lili,” I agreed. 

… 

It was hard to call what was going on in the city a celebration. Mostly because a lot of people had bet against me. Which, on a high note, I had millions of valis leftover even after I paid off what we owed the Hermes familia. So, that was nice. 

If it wasn’t for the looks I was getting as Hestia led me down the street, I’d even be happy. They ranged from horrified, to angry, to challenging. They knew me by my height, because who else stood over seven feet tall? More unwelcome were those that were cheering, those that threw me cocky smirks, and the gods that were poorly hiding behind barrels and lampposts as we made our way to the Hostess of Fertility. 

I ignored them, and that was made a thousand times easier when I saw Syr standing outside of the Hostess. Her face lit up when she saw us, throwing on a wide smile as she waved dramatically as if we couldn’t see her. She ran up to us, starting to lunge for a hug, but quickly decided against it. 

“You won!” Syr cheered, shooting pure, undiluted joy out of every pore. “I knew you could do it! I never doubted you for a second!” I heard Hestia huff next to me, so that was most likely a bald-faced lie. But I didn’t mind. “The others have come by! Come on,” Syr gestured for us to follow. Hestia followed first, tugging me along like a lost child. 

Syr pushed open the door, revealing a party in full swing. The Hostess was back as it should be -- the tables were bursting with people shouting and cheering, a lot of them gathering around a man handing out banknotes. Almost instantly, my eyes landed on Mama Mia. 

She raised a tankard towards me before she took a long sip. I nodded at her in return, my gaze drifting over the others. Ryuu darted between tables, delivering food with practiced ease. She smiled at me as she delivered a round of beer to a table. I smiled back as my gaze continued to drift over the Hostess. 

Tiona and Ais sat at a table, the former talking animatedly while the latter nodded, drinking with a grimace. Sitting at the bar was Eina, who looked like she was tearing into an adventurer, likely another client of hers. 

Off to the side, tucked into a corner, was Hermes and Asfi. The god of messages offered me a small wave and a smile. I nodded in return, wondering if he still assumed I owed him a favor. And given how great the Hestia Armor was, I think I might. It was a real game changer. 

I owed a thank you to Hephusteus as well, who was sharing a drink with a brown-skinned Amazonian with one eye. Bell was sitting with Miach, his face twisted as he took a sip of beer. I owed Bell a thank you too.

My gaze washed over them all. I...had a lot more people in my corner than I had realized. From those that helped me directly, to those that chose to place their money on me. Everyone in the room was drunk on good fortune, and I saw why when a bank slip for over a hundred million was slipped into my hands by the same man that had taken my bet of going all in on myself. They were so drunk on their good fortune, that none even noticed me. 

"Syr," I said, getting the silver-haired girl’s attention before she could bring any attention to my presence. "We're going to check on Lili." My hope must have shown on my face because Syr smiled brightly as if she was as certain that Lili had woken up as I was. She nodded, glancing around as if she could make sure that no one saw me as she pushed me and Hestia up the stairs. "And Syr?" 

"Hmm?" Syr hummed, her eyes twinkling with triumph and desire. 

"Thank you. For everything," I told her, those four words couldn't even hope to convey a fraction of my gratitude. But it was a start. 

Syr smiled brightly at me, a hand going up to twirl a lock of hair that curled into her cheekbone, "I know you'll make it up to me." She teased, her smile widening for a moment before she turned on her heel, still looking up at me, "and tell Lili that I said hello!" And with that, she skipped off into the dining hall. Part of me wanted to go down there now, to shake hands and thank everyone that helped me out during this chaotic time, but I realized that was because I was worried that when I walked up those steps, pushed open the door and what I would see would be the same thing I’ve seen for a week. 

Hestia pulled at my sleeve, and if she felt the same worries, then she didn’t show them. “We can thank everyone later. We have to check on Lili first,” she said, and by now it didn’t really surprise me that she could read my mind like a book. I nodded, swallowing my nervousness -- it was funny, in a way. 

I faced down an entire familia, but I never really felt scared. I had a plan, and I was as prepared as I could be. With this...this was an entirely different ball game because you couldn’t prepare yourself for this. The only thing that could be done is emotionally distancing, but a handful of steps isn’t enough time to do that. 

Hestia grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. I squeezed back, reaching out to the handle. Before I could think to hesitate, I turned the handle and pushed. 

Lili moved as if the sound had disturbed her. Slowly, for the first time in days, Lili pushed back the covers and sat up. Her light brown eyes landed on me, her gaze just as wide as mine. Then, Lili looked down at Hestia, who clasped her hands over her mouth. Ever so slowly, Lili's eyes began to fill with tears that flooded down her cheeks in an unending river. 

"Lili is so sorry," Lili sobbed, the sound ripping from her throat as she clenched her eyes shut. Her shoulders bunched together, trembling underneath the force of her sobs. Hestia moved in a blur, crossing the distance between us in the blink of an eye. My goddess threw herself at Lili, wrapping her in such a tight hug that Lili was being crushed in her arms. 

Though, I'm guessing that wasn't why her sobs doubled as Hestia started to cry as well. Unlike them, I simply smiled at the sight of Hestia trying to console Lili, only for her words to be so thick with emotion that she might as well be speaking gibberish. Lili responded in kind, both of them not making an ounce of sense and each sentence was broken up even more by sobs and hiccups. 

But... I wouldn't have it any other way. As the only pair of dry eyes in the room, I closed the door behind me before grabbing the chair and bringing it up to the bed. Lili looked at me with eyes filled with so much sorrow that I could drown in them. 

I all but collapsed into the chair, smiling at Lili -- as much as I hated to see her cry, I infinitely preferred it over her lifeless sleep. "I'm glad to see you're finally up, sleepyhead," I spoke, breaking the ice. Hestia giggled at my bad joke even as she sobbed into Lili's hair, burying the smaller girl into her chest. Lili looked like she was going to cry that much harder, tears free-flowing from her eyes. "You really gave us a scare there, you know?" 

Lili nodded, trying to get herself under control. It took her more than a few tries to begin, but she managed after a few minutes. "Lord Soma told me when he woke me up," 

I guess that meant I didn't have to explain anything. I simply nodded, accepting the answer and listening as Lili forced herself to continue through a new wave of tears. “He...told Lili everything. Lili...Lili is so sorry. Lili shouldn’t have doubted you! Lili...Lili was so scared that Mr. Jericho was going to die.”

I nodded, “then he gave you Soma wine,” I continued forward. Lili let out a strangled sob, making Hestia hold her that much tighter. 

“Lili is-” Lili started, despair and self-loathing in her eyes, only to be interrupted by Hestia. 

“You’re not anything you’re about to say,” Hestia said, her voice muffled by Lili’s hair. “I won’t let anyone say those things about you, and I won’t let you say them either. You’re the second member of my familia, and I love you.” Hestia continued, making Lili cling to her as another wave of tears rushed out of her. She shook, sobs heaving out of her body as she wailed into Hestia’s chest. 

“She’s right,” I pitched in. “We don’t blame you for what happened. Soma...is gone and so is his familia. That chapter of our life is over, and now we just have to move forward.” Unlike so many times before, it was actually easy to put my thoughts into words. “So, I want you to move forward too.”

Lili made a choking noise but she nodded, her breathing hitching as she clung to Hestia. 

“I’m glad,” I told her honestly as Hestia rubbed soothing circles into Lili’s back. “This...could wait, but Hestia and I were planning to leave the city. The War Game...well, I doubt I made many friends with what I did,” I admitted. 

“And the city itself is just awful. Us gods...we’re not exactly cut out for ruling over a city like this. It’s just too scary to think about. So, we’re going to leave this place behind,” Hestia continued, allowing Lili to pull back ever so slightly. 

“Can...I come with you-” She didn’t get to finish because Hestia glomped her. I let out a huff of laughter as I settled into my chair, a knot of tension vanishing. After weeks of carrying so many different worries, and they only seemed to multiply as time went by, having them vanish one by one...I didn’t have words to describe the sheer relief I felt. 

“Of course you can come with us!” Hestia answered her, “but it’s not your only option, Lili. Before Soma returned to Heaven, he wrote a will. He left everything to you -- the mansion, the treasury, everything...and it contains a message addressed to you.” 

Lili shook her head, “I don’t want it. Any of it. I...I just want to stay with you and Mr. Jericho forever.” It was such an earnest wish that Hestia started crying again, knowing that it was true. 

For the first time in what felt like ages, I relaxed into my chair. I felt it creeping up on me, but my heavy eyelids were a foe too great for me to defeat. As the tension melted from my body, all my worries vanishing like smoke in the end, I closed my eyes and slept.

You have reached a checkpoint! Would you like to choose another world to play in?

...Would I be able to bring other people with me? What happens here?

You may select traveling companions during the setup phase. Time will stop in this world, and should you choose to come back to it, you will pick up right where you left off.

I hadn’t thanked everyone yet...but that was okay. 

Because this wasn’t a goodbye. It was a see you later.