[[[ The Mad Man's House ]]]
(Zeus, with a sudden realization): What do you mean they're looking for me? ... Who are they?
(The Mad Man): You can't see them... you can't... they killed everyone... except your father and grandfather—they weren't killed... they were taken.
Sorai and Beatrix were shocked to hear the old man finally say something different from his usual phrases, as he always kept telling them to just hide without saying anything else.
Zeus was even more shocked when he realized that this man knew who he was and knew his father and grandfather—and more importantly, he said they were taken, not killed.
So they're still alive... but who took them? Who is he talking about?
(Zeus): Tell me everything you know.
(The Mad Man, laughing): You must hide.
– Tell me who I must hide from.
– You must hide.
– Fine, I'll hide, but tell me who the enemy is.
– You must hide.
(Beatrix): The bastard's back to normal.
(Sorai): For the past few weeks, he's said nothing but this nonsense... I'm surprised he said anything new.
Zeus didn't believe his friends at first until, after two hours of the same repetition, he finally gave in, feeling like life had become unbearable.
He wanted to hit the man badly, but Sorai told him they had already tried that and didn't get any other words out of him.
It was getting late, and Sorai went to sleep.
Beatrix, on the other hand, was unusually energetic that day and wasn't sleepy at all.
(Beatrix): Doesn't look like your hair grew much today... I think your body is starting to recover... but it still needs a final trim... sit here.
Zeus sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and leaned his back against the bed's edge. Beatrix sat on the bed behind him and began trimming his hair.
(Zeus, smiling warmly): Did you do this every day?
Beatrix paused for a moment, then continued her work in silence before eventually speaking.
– Yes.
(Zeus, smiling happily): Feels like a mother taking care of her child.
(Beatrix, smiling): Well, you are a foolish child, really... so your comparison isn't far off.
(Zeus): What now? ... I'm incredibly confused... My father is alive but I know nothing about him... and my family thinks I'm dead... I can't let this drag on, but I also can't let my family know I'm alive... It's like something is watching them and watching us... An enemy you can't see? ... What does that mad man mean!
(Beatrix): We'll help you... you're not alone.
(Zeus, smiling sadly): That's also what worries me... I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you because of me... Ouch! Are you really that bad at cutting hair!? ... It feels like my hair is being ripped from the roots!
(Beatrix, annoyed): I'm pulling your hair on purpose, you idiot—I'm not bad at it. I practiced on your hair for three weeks straight... You selfish bastard.
– Wait a minute! What? ... How am I selfish when I didn't even say anything about you using my hair all these weeks!?
(Beatrix, sad): You always think about what would happen to you if something happened to us... Have you ever thought about what would happen to us if something happened to you? ... Do you know the pain your family is living through right now? ... Hanabi contacted me a few days ago... She had visited your family that day.
(Zeus, calmly): How are they?
– Your mother seemed fine on the outside... but her heart is shattered... Your little sister is still crying... Your brother, the police officer, has been roaming the city like a madman, chasing criminals... Your sister Lily hasn't left her labs... she hasn't visited home at all since that day... she hates seeing the place that reminds her of you and your father... As for William... well, he's strange. He insisted that you're alive and that we shouldn't worry... It's really odd.
Zeus remained silent for a few minutes.
When Beatrix finished cutting his hair, she put the scissors aside and went to make a calming herbal drink.
But Zeus stopped her before she could walk away, speaking in a voice so soft Beatrix barely heard him.
– What would you do if I really died one day?
Tears gathered in Beatrix's eyes before she spoke in a slightly laughing tone, hiding her true emotions.
– I'll tell you then.
Then she left, leaving Zeus to process her words for a few moments before slapping his own face in frustration at the answer he got.
"" I'd be dead then, what could you possibly tell me!!!? ""
. . . . .
(The next morning / 11:00 AM)
Sorai had been awake for over five hours and was currently looking at Zeus sleeping on the couch and Beatrix sleeping on the bed, wondering why these two idiots hadn't woken up yet.
"" When the hell did they even go to sleep!? ""
He then looked up and saw the mad man with the extremely thick beard and hair devouring his food hungrily.
Sorai ignored this scene and grabbed Zeus by the shirt before yanking him hard.
Zeus woke up from the sudden movement and cursed loudly, waking up Beatrix, who saw Sorai dragging Zeus outside the house.
(Sorai): You need to start training to regain your fitness... sleep is bad for you.
– You're worse than sleep, you bastard!!!
– Come on, let's spar... Here, take this wooden sword I made for training.
(Zeus, annoyed): I'm not good with swords!
– Then use your dagger, and I'll use my real sword.
(Zeus): Let's fight without weapons.
(Sorai, smiling): Unarmed combat? I'm in.
And just like that, Sorai rushed in before Zeus could even get his words out.
Sorai did a quick backward kick after leaping toward Zeus.
Zeus noticed Sorai's movement with strange clarity—his vision slowed everything down, allowing him to choose the perfect movement to dodge the kick and give himself space to land a counter strike.
He narrowly avoided Sorai's kick deliberately and aimed a punch at Sorai's side.
Sorai bent his airborne leg backward to strike Zeus's incoming hand.
Zeus knew he had two options—either continue the attack, which would be neutralized or weakened at best...
Or pull back, which would take time and potentially give Sorai a chance to land a follow-up kick with the same leg.
Everything was moving in slow motion for Zeus.
Sorai blocked Zeus's punch, weakening it, and Zeus quickly retreated. Sorai also stepped back, clearly surprised.
"" When did he get reflexes this fast!! "" Sorai thought as he stood at a distance from Zeus.
"" My eye is starting to hurt, "" Zeus thought and decided to ask Sorai.
– Stop the fight for a moment... Is there something wrong with my eye?
(Sorai): Let me see up close... Yeah, there's definitely something wrong, man!! ... Blood vessels are supposed to be red... but—
– But what?
– Yours are black!! ... And they seem to be pulsing weirdly!
– I don't believe you!
Zeus rushed back into the house looking for a mirror and confirmed that what Sorai said was true.
He was shocked by the sight and gradually noticed that the veins were retreating, and the natural red color was returning.
Also, the pain in his eyes was slowly fading.
"" So this enhanced perception comes at a cost... I need to learn how to control it, or I'll lose my sight quickly in battle... I have to identify all the changes... Something strange has definitely happened to my body, "" Zeus thought as he sat down and began focusing on his body.
His stamina point capacity for the sigils was the same, and his genetic energy was also unchanged.
But his body was building muscle at an unusually fast and unnatural rate—Zeus estimated he would recover his physique, even stronger than before, in just a few days.
Aside from that, he couldn't detect any other changes for now.