Ch. 164 The curse of Love

( Yuto Pov )

" Hercules!!" I shouted from across the battlefield as I held my spear.

The followers of Hercules were dead behind me.

I ignored their dead bodies as I moved.

" For Hercul- Ack!!" Before the follower could react, his body was split into two as I gracefully walked through the battlefield.

A blur, that was all I could see and remember as I saw Fer fall in battle.

' Iris. Gamers mind.'

Iris didn't respond, but Gamers mind activated.

I want in the mood for any talks.

' I'm sorry, Aristos, I could not protect her.'

I passed Caenis body that was peirced by many heroes that joined the battle.

' I'm sorry.' Was all I could say as my mind forced down all emotion.

Hercules recovered from my attack.

" Raaahhhh!!!" His shouted reverberated through the battlefield as he rushed toward me with his sword.

I struck my spear into the mud.

'Chidori.' White lighting danced around my right arm as Hercules closed in.

I know this won't peirce him, but it will paralyzed him for a while.

* Swoosh *

I rushed forward and ducked under his swing as I stabbed the chidori I to his stomach, and as I expected, it didn't peirce, but Hercules froze.

I gave Hercules an upper cut and jumped over his body as a steel wire arwpped around his neck.

Before I could add mana, Hercules ripped the wire.

Kicking his knees in as Hercules kneeled onto the ground, I back hand the back of his head before jumping away from his arm swing.

" Phew." I breathed out as solely focused on Hercules.

' The man whose strength surpasses his father, Zeus. Let's see what you have.' I thought as I sidestepped as Hercules rushed past me.

Hercules turned around and threw a punch.

I parried his fist as I used this chance to imbue mana and add God's Bane for Hercules demigod side into the hidden blade.

* Shing! * * Shluck! *

The blade peirced his lungs. Hercules frozed for a second before roaring again.

Unsheathimg the hidden blade as I blocked Hercules' punch, which pushed me back.

Sliding up to my spear.

" Iris, activate Berserkers rage." I ordered Iris as I saw Hercules getting stronger.

' Looks like his survival instincts kicked in. ' I thought as I pulled Enkidu out and wrapped it around my left arm into a gauntlet. And pulled my spear out of the ground.

" Yuuuuuttoooooo!!" Hercules shouted.

" It has been a while, old friend!" I responded as Hercules rushed towards me.

Unknowingly, I smiled at his advancement.

I hear his footsteps coming close as I got ready.

"Spear art: Second Form: Spatial slashes," I said my attack out loud for Hercules.

Hercules has never seen me wield a spear before.

I ducked under his sword as I attacked him from beneath, and as soon as I passed him slashes covered his body, but for him, it wasn't close enough to stop him.

" Raaahhhh!" Hercules shouted once more before I wrapped Enkidu around his arm and pulled it toward me, messing up his balance.

" Space Strike!"

The attack tore through Hercules' leg.

"Spear Art: Fourth Form: Time conversion "

Time froze for a second before multiple slashes covered Hercules.

" Gurack!!! Hercules screamed.

I pulled Enkidu as the distance between us closed as I pushed the spear forward.

"Hearts End." A golden light peirced though Hercules Heart.

" Pheeeww." I breathed out as blood dripped on the floor.

Wrapping Enkidu around Hercules neck and pulled him down, and stabbed the spear through Hercules' mouth.

" Grack!!"

" Didn't I say I'll kill you myself." I coldly looked down at Hercules as his eyes widened before he fell weakly onto the ground.

* Thud * * Shlick *

I pulled the spear out before swiping it to remove the blood.

I deactivated Berserkers rage.

" Sigh." I sighed as I walked towards Caenis.

Caenis was unresponsive as I sat next to her on the floor.

" Yu..to."

" Caenis!" I shouted as I hurriedly brought out a potion.

" Here! drink it." I held the potion up towards her mouth as she drank it.

I didn't know how long I sat there taking care of Caenis.

" Sigh, holy shit! I thought you died." I spoke as I leaned back.

Caenis gave a weak chuckle.

" Did...we win?" She asked.

" Yeah." I said as I looked at Hercules' dead body.

I stood up and dug a grave for Hercules with magic.

As soon as I finished, I stood in front of his grave.

' Rest well, Hercules.'

It was then I remembered Atalanta and Aphrodite.

" Come on, We are going to Thessaly." I said as I carried Caenis and sped up her healing with life force.

" Ugh! Watch it!! It fucking hurts!" Caenis yelled.

" Stop being a baby." I replied.

" I'm not a baby!!" Caenis shouted back.

" Sigh, I should have left you on the floor."

* A few hours later. *

It is morning in Thessaly as I watched the crowd of suitors line up in the foot race.

I stood among the crowd watching with my hood on.

I saw Atalanta beating another suitor who hanged his head in shame.

* Cheers!! *

" Wow! The princess is so fast!" A little girl exclaimed next to me.

I glanced at her as she stared at Atalanta with stars in her eyes.

For some reason, I felt my mood lit up seeing an innocent child admiring Atalanta.

I looked back at the race as everyone made bets only for them to stop when ey realized Atalanta was too fast to compete.

' Now, where are you? Aphrodite.' I thought using the eyes of fate to see the goddess strings.

It was then I saw a golden ribbon attached to a wrapped cloth.

' That Clothe.' I narrowed my eyes at the person holding the cloth using the transparent view. I looked through the cloth.

[ Gamers mind activated ]

' Observe.'

[ Golden apple of immortality] [ Mythical ]

[ Grant's immortality for a limited time]

I walked forward as I grabbed the man's shoulder.

* Shick!* Before he could react, I struck the hidden blade from behind.

The man's eyes widened as he looked at me.

" Aphrodites' dog." I whispered before taking the wrapped cloth and attaching a card with runes on him.

The man tried to grab it only to weakly fall onto the ground.

* Thud! *

The surrounding people managed to see the man fall as they realized he died.

As some of them panicked, I watched from the rooftop as they scattered.

I looked at the golden apple before throwing into my inventory.

I watched Atalanta look at the scene as she approached the body.

And just as she got close, she recognized the card. I jumped down the building and activated the card.

The card teleported to a nearby mountain.

" Yuto." Atalanta turned around as she said my name.

" I thought I recognized that card."

" Atalanta, I -"

" You came." She suddenly hugged me, and I returned with one as well.

Atalanta gripped my robes tightly as she didn't want to let go.

I put down my hood and took off my mask as I looked down at Atalanta.

We locked eyes as Atalanta held my face as she looked at me with warm eyes.

" I forget how beautiful your eyes were." Atalanta spoke, but soon turned her head away as she slowly let go.

I grabbed her hand and kept to my cheek.

" I will be going home." I spoke as Atalanta looked at me.

" Then go. I -"

" Shut up, and just come with me." I responded.

" I can not. I'm sorry. Your home is without me." She gave a sad smile.

" Phineus, he said I would not be able to come with you, but he did say we will meet again."

" Don't listen to him, please, let me take you from all of this."

Atalanta chuckled.

" You said the same to Phineus about Medea, and look what happened." Atalantas eyes looked down as she remembered Medea.

" Sigh, Atalan -" Before I could finish, Atalanta kissed me.

I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the feeling it gave.

Opening my eyes, I saw Atalanta growing a set of lion ears as she fell weakly in my arms.

We continued kissing as we both shed a tear as we embraced each other.

And before I knew it, I held Atalantas head on my lap as she started getting weaker.

" Yuto. "

" Yes?"

" Can you Hum that tune I loved so much."

" Of course."

" Hmm~ Hm~ Hm~ Hmmm~ "

Atalanta looked more lovely as I caressed her hair.

She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sweet melody.

Remembering the memories that we shared together. And our first meeting.

Atalanta gave a beautiful smile as she laid her last breath.

I gave one last kiss.

I kept humming as I watched the sun set in the horizon.

" Hm~ Hmm~ Hm~ Hm~ Hmmm~"

" A beautiful melody indeed." A voice spoke from behind.

I stopped humming, but I didn't turn to look at them.

" What do you want? Artemis."

Seeing that I wasn't hostile, she spoke.

" Not killing me in revenge? Or are you tired from all the bloodshed?" She spoke.

I heard footsteps approach from behind as I saw her legs covered in a blue robe from my peripheral vision.

She sat down on a nearby rock.

" The golden apple of immortality." She spoke but didn't demand.

" You saved my child from a fate worse than death as she would forcibly be married by that women's scheme."

I didn't speak as I looked at the sunset.

" Sigh, I have watched both of your journeys, and to see it lead here. " She gave a sad sigh as she looked at Atalanta.

" Your love story. It saddens me to see it end here, but I guess every story must come to an end." She looked at the sunset.

" Get to the point." I said.

" I want the golden apple in exchange for Atalanta -"

* Thwack! *

Artemis caught the golden apple.

She stood up before offering two rings.

" With my blessing, I wish the two of you the best in your next life." Then she disappeared.

[ Rings of Artemis ]

[ Blessing of Nature ]

[ Ring of Artemis ]

[ Blessing of Hunt ]

I didn't bother reading the description as I pocketed the rings.

I carried Atalanta towards the forest we first met.

I carried her through a tall grass plain.

" You seem weary traveler."

A large snake poked its head out of the grass.

" Hm? If it isn't the young lad." The snake revealed his large head.

" It's you." I replied.

The snake chuckled but stopped.once he noticed Atalanta.

" You must have quite the journey."

" Yeah, yeah, I did." I spoke before walking again.

" A sad fate." The snake whispered before disappearing into the grass.

As I walked through the forest, I remembered the first time we met

" Do you remember? This is where we first met." I knew she couldn't hear, but I kept talking until I laid Atalanta on a flower bed.

I grabbed her hand as I inserted her ring finger into the ring.

[ Ring of Artemis ]

[ Blessing of Hunt]

( Description - A ring that connects to one another that signals when the other bearer is near. Can be worn in the next life.)

[ Soul bound activated ]

The ring lit up before setting down.

I made a runic barrier from anyone, and anything as I covered the surroundings area in dirt, making it into a hill.

As I covered the area, I left towards the city where Caenis was resting.

* Knock Knock * * Creak *

I opened the door to see no one inside.

* Step step *

I walked in to see that Caenis equipment was still here.

I took out Aristos' mask and left it on the bed for Caenis.

' Hopefully, this will help you in your travels.' I wrote on the note along with the mask before taking one last look at the mask before closing the door.

* Creak * Thud *