I Awakened My Game System! Now Three Great Houses Want Me Dead!-Chapter 107: Game
Indeed, a Friend of God had fallen still.
That one last glimmer of light faded out of the cell.
Only to be caught by Xenos, who now sat cross-legged before his mentor.
His long white hair hung behind him, and his empty mask stared forward.
It was a beautifully haunting scene.
One where his eyes glowed through the two slits as he felt a surge of Divine resonance rolling through his chest, trembling along his spine, like a heartbeat not of his own.
A Rune, born from death.
Between them, that ’light’ condensed.
The Rune took shape, its center alive with spinning symbols.
At first, it was just Arcane geometry, but it slowly shifted.
The drawing became clear.
A chameleon’s head.
Stylized, yes, but unmistakable.
"...chameleon?"
Xenos blinked a few times.
"I didn’t expect that."
Around it, Arcane shimmered:
—
{ᛑᛂᚴᛂᛪᛈᛚ ᛑᛂᛈᚪᛋᚾᛟᚬ}
—
He tilted his head.
"’Living Ligature,’ huh?"
’Just what did he choose for me?’
Xenos didn’t wait too long to find out.
Reaching forward, he touched the Rune...
Thump!
And the world darkened instantly.
Everything, including light and sound, collapsed into stillness.
Only the Rune remained before him, burning in an infinite black.
He could feel its Will. It wanted to bind, to become one.
Xenos, though, couldn’t merge it fully yet.
Again, he was missing something vital.
The most important prerequisite.
’Synaxis.’
Without it, he couldn’t complete the Shepherd’s requirements.
But he could still store it, and for now, that was enough.
So, he went ahead and pulled the Rune into himself.
It sank fully into his Soul with a hum, leaving behind a soft afterglow that pulsed through his veins. And since it was now part of him, that meant he could finally use his Beholding Eyes on it, fully witnessing what it was.
—
[Fourth Rune: Living Ligature (Rank 5)]
[Description: Flesh and Element become one. The bearer can brand their Root Rune into their body. Living Arcane blooms beneath the skin, glowing with the Element’s hue. Reshaping muscle, bone, and breath to match its nature, granting a combat-oriented bonus.]
—
Xenos smiled faintly beneath the mask.
This was good. Very, very good.
It fixed what he lacked.
His strength stat had always lagged behind, but now, it didn’t matter.
Still, he could make it better, and so he tweaked the link with his Dealer, threading it through the flow of his Luck-based build.
—
[Fourth Rune: Living Ligature (Rank 5)]
[Description: Flesh and Rune become one. When Fortune’s Wheel grants an Element, this Rune brands that power into the bearer’s body. Living glyphs bloom beneath the skin, glowing with the Element’s hue. It reshapes muscle, bone, and breath to match its nature, granting a combat-oriented bonus. Yet its harmony with the first ability depends solely on Luck.]
—
His smile widened...
’Now that’s synergy.’
Every time he spun [Fortune’s Wheel,] he’d get a random Elemental buff and physical adaptation, basically a two-for-one deal.
"Damn, I’m good."
After a nod, Xenos brought up his entire build, the glowing Runes orbiting him:
—
[Root Rune: Luck]
[Second Rune: Wise Fool (Rank 4)]
[Third Rune: Fortune’s Wheel (Rank 5)]
[Fourth Rune: Living Ligature (Rank 5)]
—
Xenos looked at them for a long while, faintly amused.
"...Yeah. This build’s a headache."
’To you or everyone else?’
Eris teased.
"Both."
It really was special.
Never had he a build so interesting before.
Unstable, absurd, illogical, and somehow functional.
No doubt this would send its author a headache.
Good thing he was used to that.
’You did well, you know. It wasn’t an easy fight to reach this point.’
"Yeah... you can say that again."
Xenos turned toward Socrates’s lifeless body.
He couldn’t bury him; he couldn’t even free him from the chains.
But he could at least do something, and that was what he did; reaching forward, he touched the man’s face and gently closed his eyes.
"...sleep easy, old man."
That was all he could give.
His one-minute mentor deserved that much.
Xenos stood, brushing dust off his coat.
’Farewell.’
With Eris bidding Socrates goodbye, Xenos decided that it was time to leave.
He didn’t take the same path as before; the Cyclopses were no doubt waiting. Dumb as they were, they were now most likely sniffing around for the "fraud" who tricked them last time.
Xenos wasn’t in the mood for a repeat performance.
Thankfully, Eris guided him through another route far from them.
Down a winding tunnel and up through another geyser shaft.
When it burst, he was ready, riding the rush of hot air.
His cloak whipped behind him as he flew high.
And when he reached the peak, he snapped open his leafy parachute and drifted down.
The horizon shimmered gold; a few miles ahead sat the same quiet village he’d stayed in the night before.
"That’s convenient... maybe I’m getting good at landing where I want."
Eris giggled at his self-deprecating quip.
’You fell headfirst into a tree last time.’
"That was tactical."
’Sure~.’
...
Walking back through the worn dirt paths, he stopped in front of the same humble house.
A welcome change of pace from the death and tension still clinging to his skin.
He knocked, and the door opened after a few seconds with a gasp.
"Welcome back, brother!"
The husband immediately pulled him into a hug, while behind him, the daughter squealed and clung to his leg, attracting the attention of the third.
"Oh, it’s you, Sir Stranger. Have you succeeded at your mission?"
The wife smiled warmly, wiping her hands on her apron.
Xenos’ gaze turned to each of their faces, blinking.
"You people are too friendly."
They laughed in response and asked him to come in for lunch.
But unfortunately, Xenos had to go, so he raised a hand.
"Sorry, I can’t stay this time. I’m heading somewhere far, so I came to say goodbye."
The wife nodded softly, and the husband gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, both understanding, but the little girl started crying, tugging on his cloak.
"C-Can’t you staaay? Pleeeeeassse."
Eris giggled.
’Popular already, hm?’
’Shut up.’
Xenos knelt down, patting the girl’s head.
"Don’t worry. You’ll forget me soon enough."
His comforting skills were, of course, terrible, and they did nothing to console the kid, but thankfully, while the husband laughed and Eris did so even harder in his mind, the wife took the kid away from him with a soft smile.
"I’m sorry. You have to understand we aren’t exactly a village that has many visitors; she’s starved for new faces."
Xenos shook his head.
"Please, don’t worry about it. She’s a sweet one."
He stood to leave when the husband suddenly called out:
"Hey—before you go! I heard news from the city."
Xenos stopped.
"Yeah?"
"Pluto Academy is hosting another Colosseum Game."
"Already?"
"Yes. It’s got everyone talking; I thought you’d like to know."
Xenos’ eyes narrowed...
So the second Game was already upon them.
He exhaled through his nose, faintly grinning.
"It’s time to go break some more records."
