He Saves Gods as a Man II

The Millennium Medusa

Two years ago

"Beta squad. Report." I whispered into my coms unit.

"..."

"Beta squad!" I repeated myself.

"B- Beta squad... acknowledged." Bryce grumbled.

"Gamma squad! Gamma squad! Move in!" I said.

"Gamma squad, moving in. Assassinating all lifeforms irrelevant to mission objectives." Sigurd replied.

"Gamma squad. No killing people. Also, go get your CPU checked with Master Jun after this." I replied.

"Charlie squad. Move in. Move in."

X8 nodded.

"Acknowledged."

BOOF.

I peeked from behind my cover.

"Charlie squad reporting. Charlie squad stuck. I repeat. Charlie squad is too big to fit."

"You... don't have to repeat yourself." I muttered.

Charlie Squad was now incapacitated.

This mission was going to go haywire soon.

I had to do it.

"Delta Squad! It's all up to you! Delta Squad!"

No reply.

"Delta Squad! Acknowledge!"

No reply.

I got up from behind my cover and approached Sarah, who was standing in the corner, her arms crossed.

"What are you doing, Delta Squad?!" I squeaked.

Sarah glared at me.

"I am not Delta Squad. I am Sarah Ultear!"

"Why aren't you in position?!"

Sarah threw her coms unit, a walkie talkie, on the ground.

"Because I look stupid!" She said, her face bright red in embarrassment.

"Come on.... Sarah. Don't be like that. The fate of Team Aaron rests on this mission!"

Sarah raised an eyebrow, turning towards the bowl of candy that was sitting in Outer Shadow Ernest Wang's room.

"Does it really?"

A vein popped on my forehead.

"Yes! Yes it does! After all... once we steal his precious limited edition Cherry Coke flavoured Jawbreakers, we can hold it for ransom. I'll have Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn in the palm of my hand to control! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sarah gave me an extremely disappointed expression.

"Aaron! Aaron! Jubilee Squad has secured the loot!" June said happily in my coms unit.

"June!!!" I gushed.

"I knew I could always count on you!"

I ran to June's position, as Sarah rolled her eyes.

"June!!! My favourite Auxiliary Shad-"

Ernest gave me an annoyed look, as June popped a jawbreaker in her mouth, her eyes lit up happily.

"Mmm! Yummy! Thank you, Outer Shadow Gjallarhorn!"

Ernest patted June's head.

"No prob. But next time Outer Shadow Dainsleif drags you into his antics, you can always say no."

June shook her head.

"It's okay. I really like spending time with him. It's always so much fun!"

"Fun you say..." Ernest glared at me, as he pulled out his pole arm.

"Wanna see a trick, kid?"

June's eyes lit up.

"Mmhm!"

"Fantastic. For this trick, I'm going to turn this red eyed asshole into a shish kebab in 0.00001 seconds."

I staggered back.

"Ehhhh heheheheh.... Now Ernest... there's no reason to resort to violence! Hahaha.... Auxiliary Shadows! Retreat! Re- eh?"

I turned around to see Sarah leading the rest back to the Shadow Minions.

"Thanks for the candy, Ernest."

"Thank you, Gjallarhorn."

"Be sure to kill- er I mean take care of Bossman for us. Gonna hit up some 2K."

"Always an honour to be blessed with the Master of Da Sheng Men." Sigurd bowed, as everybody left me alone.

I laughed nervously at Ernest, who's body began emitting tremendous pressure.

"Um... this is probably a bad time to say this... but I also accidentally set your slice of life manga collection on fire."

"Which one?" Ernest's eyes somehow flashed even more dangerously.

"Um... would you believe me if I said... all of them? Ha. Ha. Hahaha..."

Da Sheng Men - NIMBUS STRIKE

"Wait... wha... that's not where a pole arm is supposed to go! YAAAAAAH!!!!" I screamed.

That day, June had to drag my barely conscious ass out of Gjallarhorn's barracks.

"Congratulations, Aaron! Mission success! We acquired the jaw breakers!" June said, enthusiastically.

"M- Mission... success...." I muttered.

I sat down gazing at the distance of Master Jun's realm.

"Ah man... if only his realm didn't literally look like Cybertron, it would be a nice place to settle down."

June sat in front of me, her big round eyes full of curiosity.

"Settle down? What do you mean by that?"

I scratched my chin, taking a sip from my water bottle.

"Ermmm... it sorta means choosing to just spend the rest of your days with someone you love. All day. Every day."

And have kids.

Of course I wouldn't tell a literal fourteen year old girl that.

June blinked.

"Wouldn't that mean you've settled down with me?"

PFOOOO.

I spat all my water onto the ground, still trying to process what this little girl just said.

"Ah. No this is different."

June handed me a paper towel, as always, whenever I spilled my drinks.

I took it, wiping my face.

"How so? Why won't you settle down with me?"

"D-Don't worry about it." I got up nervously, stretching my arms.

June's facial expression...

The subtle facial cues...

Was she disappointed?

I really didn't wanna verify it, but...

"Besides... settling down also means having kids. Wouldn't that seem wei-"

"I don't mind."

"Heh?"

June looked at me adamantly, pressing her hands to her chest.

"I... I don't mind. As long as you don't mind being with me! I'll do my best!"

I desperately tried to change the subject.

No no no.

This was beyond messed up.

She's fourteen... no. Technically she's thirteen dude. The legal age for marriage and... um.. the "naughty naughty" in Amerada was sixteen. But even then it felt wrong being with someone four years younger than me.

I got on one knee and patted her head.

"Come on, June. We both know you're too young. I'm seventeen and you're thirteen."

"I'm fourteen! I turn fourteen in two weeks!"

June pouted, and my heart felt warm.

Was this...

Sort of how Will and Nora felt whenever they dealt with my tantrums?

I chuckled.

"You're doing more than enough as it is."

June looked away, before putting a hand to her mouth and smiling.

"Of course I would... No matter what they say. I'll do my best to make sure you're the best Outer Shadow in the Black Legion. So please continue taking care of me!"

Present Day

"Aaron! Hey Aaron!"

My eyes fluttered awake, and to my disbelief, a familiar little girl appeared before me. Her smile radiating with kindness and light.

"June...? You're... you're alive..." I gasped, when suddenly, the little girl frowned.

"Oh." I muttered.

"Why did you call me 'June', Aaron?" Sakura asked.

She had somehow climbed onto my bed and was pummelling my chest with those tiny hands of hers like some messed up mutant spidermonkey.

"Nothing." I grumbled, getting out of the bed and leaving the room Diana had provided me in Andropol.

Sakura skipped alongside me. She had undergone another growth spurt. I was told by Diana that deities tended to age a lot faster in childhood, this aging would slow as they matured over time.

"Today, Diana taught me how to count. She's been teaching me lots of things while you were gone. I made you a bracelet while you were with your Auxiliary Shadows on mission."

"That's nice, Sakura."

Sakura stopped walking as I found myself walking alone.

"Aaron. Do you not like me?"

I paused, my heart racing.

"Ah. No. It's not like that."

"Then... why are you always leaving me on my own?"

I turned my head to see Sakura gripping a small homemade bracelet in her hands. My mind momentarily flashed to June standing there with her stuffed bear backpack.

I breathed deeply.

"It's... it's not your fault. I'm just not ready to take care of you."

"But Lord Bishamonten told me-"

My anger flared.

"Bishamonten didn't know what the HELL he was talking about. He was the reason I ended up like this!" I snapped, causing Saki to put a hand to her mouth. She was trying hard not to cry, and I knew.

But there was just too much history between me and Bishamonten and Avara... and June...

Of course Sakura had nothing to do with it.

I knew that more than anyone!

But...

I breathed heavily, trying to stabilize myself in the dark hallway. The lights that were illuminating it were only the candles that lined the sides.

"I'm too FUCKED UP to look after someone. To be a parent. You're better off staying here with Diana and being protected by the army of Andropol. It's for your sake, Sakura. That you don't end up in my world."

"But... that's not true! My predecessor's memories... I knew. And Lord Bishamonten told me about your past! You were just like me. You were on the run! We both lost someone important to us... we... you're just like me, you know how I feel!"

"Just because I know how you feel doesn't make me any more suitable to look after you than someone who is qualified to be a parent." I shot her down, not realizing the impact of my words.

Sakura gripped the bracelet, tears running down the side of her face.

"Why did you save me that day... when I was hunted by those wolves... why did you save me in the snow. YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT ME TO DIE!" She screamed, hurling the bracelet at my chest.

"I HATE YOU! I WORKED SO HARD FOR THAT BRACELET BUT YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!"

I watched as Sakura ran off, sobbing. I stood in the darkness, unable to process anything.

I couldn't even say anything back...

Or even discern whether or not saying anything was a good idea.

I knelt down and picked up the bracelet, gritting my teeth.

The illustrations on it...

Were the same illustrations of the drawings and artwork of the walls in my old orphanage. Memories that I had spent with Will and Nora.

Sakura really went through Avara's memories... trying to turn dark memories into something light.

I summoned a red magic circle, putting the bracelet into it.

"She really sees you as her guardian. You know. Even when you spend so much time neglecting her. She refuses to see it that way. That's how much you mean to her, Aaron."

I got to my feet, turning to Diana Eustansia Avarice, who's Queen robes dragged elegantly across the ground. The glint of her crown shining, reflecting the light off the candles.

"I can't. I just... can't..." I muttered.

"I know."

Diana walked by me.

"But as someone who was neglected by her family. I understand how painful it is. The pain of desperately trying to cling onto the love of a parent, when everything is against you. The weight of being the one to end the legendary bloodline of Avalon."

"Your circumstances are different. Being born a girl wasn't in your control."

"And what of Sakura? Do you think she wanted to be a reincarnation of Avara? The Goddess who would forever be known as the one who mercilessly slaughtered a group of orphaned children? If she really embraced her circumstances, then why would she change her name to Sakura Hope?"

I clenched my fist.

"I won't tell you how to proceed with Sakura. I just wanted to tell you how it is. You sure like your facts, don't you? God-Eater?"

Diana smirked.

"You're the least queen-like queen I've ever seen in my life!" I snapped.

"A queen's gotta relax once in a while! Anyway. I can't dilly daddle for too long. I have to look over a heap of reports.... UGH!"

Diana left the hallway.

I left the castle and walked across the city of Andropol.

Adventurer squads were entering and leaving the city borders.

Ever since Nyx was defeated, citizens of Andropol had pleaded to Diana for the opportunity to use magic to grow stronger, becoming adventurers to ensure she alone would not be the only one to defend the city.

Though reluctant, as she cherished her people, she eventually obliged.

Now we had groups of adventurer teams forming all over the place, even an adventurer's guild too.

"HA! HA! HA!"

I glanced over at a group of recruits who were practicing their sword strikes.

A part of me got excited. After all (don't tell anyone this), MMO's still held a special place in my heart.

I actually have been playing them in secret whenever Annelise was at school, and everybody else was asleep.

Seeing Andropol like this was definitely a treat for my nerdy eyes.

"Yo."

I turned to the voice, to see a young man wearing a familiar Eagle's jacket. A black coat was draped over his jacket, the sleeves running down his sides.

"Bryce! Shouldn't you be back at Philly?" I asked.

"Just taking a break. You know them shorties were missing me." Bryce laughed.

Sure they did.

Bryce looked over at the recruits who were training.

"Andropol really stepping up their military huh."

"Yeah." I said, glancing over at him.

It was hard to imagine this was the same kid who used to coop up in his room all day playing 2K, ignoring missions and being a loser.

Ever since the ordeal with his mom in Philadelphia, Bryce had changed for the better.

He had a new sense of self and identity.

From the Eagles Varsity Jacket, to the bat with all the names of the residents in Philly written on it, to his father, Tevin "The Machine Gun" Jones' bandanna draped around his neck like a scarf...

Bryce "Hellsing" Jones was setting new records in life, rather than in video games.