In the bed at the inn Cosimo was trying to get up and get Slo off of him.

He was now fully aware of his abilities. It was surprising to say the least.

“What kind of ridiculous joke is this? I come back to this world a second time and now I’m totally powerful? Well, at least it’ll be easy to make it on my own. Super strength was pretty fun, but this… isn’t it this too suitable a list of abilities for someone like me?

What the book said about unique magic only being easy to learn if it ‘feels natural’ or ‘fits your psyche’ is fitting for me.

I didn’t even get to choose the abilities really, but I remember Susanoo talking about how he had that power picking application made to suit the person’s psyche. Guess that’s why he emailed me here. There must be something interesting to him about people manifesting their personality in some kind of magical way in the real world.”

He was thinking to himself like that. His level was six. He was however, effectively invulnerable for a limited amount of time that he was going to have to test. It was only active for ‘a certain amount of time’. Based on reviewing what happened with Timothy, he thought that ‘Average’ had just run out of time. Cosimo was mistaken.

“Now that I understand the full extent of ‘Mediocre’, it was a bad idea to show that off in front of Aeschyli. Well, hopefully I won’t meet her again. Who else knows about me? Timothy, really. He saw me get portaled in and saw ‘Mediocre’. I’m sorry Xana. At least you get to live on though. I think many would pay that price easily if you could say they could live, but I don’t want to use it like that again.”

He sighed out loud. Cosimo’s head was swimming as he was trying to piece everything together.

There was a coin exchange to deposit money into your identification crystal at the Guild. Since it could be used for transactions, he wouldn’t have to carry any coins if he didn’t want to. However, he had nothing. Cosimo figured that the ‘welcome gift’ Susanoo promised wasn’t coming.

He had to make some money.

Before that, he had to end things with Timothy and make sure he can get away from Aeschyli.

“Hey Slo are you up yet? My, I have to wake you up every time...oh, hello, Cosimo was it? You seem really comfortable with Slo there.”

A girl with a black habit had walked into the room.

“Hey, I think I saw you on the patio when I met Slo. Thanks for taking care of me, how long was I out?”

“Two weeks. I’m Chel. Aeschyli saved you, I’ve been personally taking care of your body for the last two weeks. It would be expensive usually, but Aeschyli cleared your debt.”

“You’re a nurse?”

Cosimo began to understand that she had probably done a lot of very personal things to him.

However, his knowledge from earth gave him comfort. After all, isn’t it natural that someone has to clean up after you when you’re in a coma? He was still embarrassed though.

“That’s a strange word to use. I’m a healer. You really should get up and walk around. I know it’s probably nice enjoying Slo, but you’ve been taking advantage of her for two weeks.”

In his mind, ‘taking advantage’ did not sit well with Cosimo.

He had pressing matters at hand though.

“I can’t move.”

Chel came over and put her hand on his heart.

Cosimo was in a down mood so decided to enjoy the presence of two women on him to the fullest. This is okay for now, he thought, I’m having a hard time.

“Hmm. That’s a nice smile on your face. It’s strange, Aeschyli said it would be full mental damage. You’re up earlier than she said though, but I can’t understand how she got the three weeks number. Maybe you need more time to recover?”

She was inspecting his circulation.

“‘Cruor Circen’”, Chel said.

Cosimo finally understood that the reason why people were calling out spell names was to increase their focus on controlling the energy while using the spell. That time alone served him so well, he thought even more would be fantastic. Cosimo thought of a brothel. No, no, that’s too shameless. Then again…

“What’s that spell do?”

Now that Cosimo was aware that he could expand his inventory of unique magic quite easily thanks to ‘Average’’s effect, it would useful to learn more of them. The book only had so many.

“Allows me to see understand and repair the blood in your body. Also good for circulation if someone’s sedentary. I don’t get it. You should be able to move. I took care of everything so your body is in perfect condition.”

Cosimo made an ‘oh’ face.

He was starting to consider and connect the full understanding of his abilities and what had happened to him, and what was occurring right now.

“It’s an ability of mine. Thanks a lot for taking care of me, I’ll have to figure it out from here.”

“Oh. Okay,” she respected his privacy. That was normal for people of this world to not dig into another’s abilities and status unless it was work or between friends.

“Slo, it’s time to wake up, ‘Cruor Caedis’,” casted Chel.

Cosimo saw Slo’s body jerk and he got a bad feeling. Is that any way to wake something up?

“Ah~ Chel, it’s you. You need me for something?” she said completely awake as she got up off Cosimo.

“Cosimo’s awake,” said Chel.

“Uwah~ Are you serious. I’m losing out now. I got so used to the warmth. Hey there Cosimo. We slept together a lot for the last two weeks. Last time I talked to you we were saving the Pilosa, you’ve been great. I wouldn’t mind keeping it up, you know.”

Cosimo thought she was serious. Cosimo was quickly drawn into a entirely different line of thinking than before. This was even more dangerous.

“Ah, why were you sleeping on me? For the warmth? Is that a normal thing here?”

“Here in Aleppo? No, no, it’s reserved for best friends, family, and lovers naturally! However, I spent many nights sleeping on animals whether they wanted my company or not. I’m different! Sleeping with another person was quite uncomfortable at first, but I got used to it! You’re just like an animal to me now!”

Cosimo got the sense that she was not trying to be rude.

“You are adorable,” he said in half disgust and half truth. He wasn’t sure which came off to Chel and Slo the most. Chel was smiling on the side watching.

“Chel! It finally happened! Someone said it! A boy finally say it! Besides Arge!” she clasped her hands to cheeks with a blush.

“I believed in you,” she silently closed her eyes and tilted her head down. Good for you Slo. Good for you.

“Ahh~ Thank you so much Cosimo! Even if its marriage if it stays as good as the last two weeks I’ll be fine with it!”

And so Cosimo and Slo lived happily ever after, that didn’t happen.

Cosimo entered full contemplation mode.

She was probably more like an animal herself. He said he would run away but-

No, just what is he thinking! I need to get out of here and finish things with Timothy.

“I’ll pass for now. I’m going to try to get up, and once I figure that out I’m moving on.”

“Oh no, it’s as Aeschyli said,” Slo deflated and said that.

Chel put her hand on Slo’s shoulder. It’s okay.

“He did say ‘for now’ Slo. After all, once you get to know him he might be a horrible person when he’s awake and could destroy your life. There was no way it could continue like this,” comforted Chel.

“Let’s leave him alone okay? You can sleep with me any time you know?”

“No~ you toss in your sleep, there’s no way I can trust Arge, Arge won’t let me keep a pet, and Doru is Doru,” Slo said as she  was sighing while talking.

“Come on,” Chel said as she guided her out of the room.

Cosimo felt a bit of shock from that after they left. It was like a piece of him was no longer there.

No, no, it’s just the two weeks of pressure on his body! He spent a total of definitely less than one hour with her conscious! The two weeks sleeping together meant nothing!

Ah, he’s lying again, he realized.

He stared at the ceiling and looked sad. I’ve got to end this.

“‘Ancient Earth Arts’,” he said out loud. Nothing? Shouldn’t that move him at least? He was so glad he got an Arts, too bad he got that other spell that had Maria’s knife in it. He was disguised that it was inside out of his skills. Maybe he could pass it off to Arge as thanks for helping him. He seemed like the type to enjoy something like that, he said remembering when  he had a knife to his throat.

That was fun, Cosimo thought.

“‘Liar’, I can move!” he tried to keep it down. He didn’t know in Chel and Slo were around.

It didn’t seem he could move. ‘Liar’ could let him change the truth, but it seems like it wasn’t as good as ‘Mediocre’. He had no idea it was a much weaker form of ‘Haggle Arts’. Cosimo thought it was strange that he knew that spell already, he guessed because it was second nature to him?

“‘Flow Charge’, ‘Mediocre Force’,” he casted.

He felt energy charge through his body. He could move it around. ‘Flow Charge’ allowed him to move energy to a place, which was going to be insanely useful when used with ‘Average’ instant power restoration. That was how he was able to blow up a city after all.

‘Mediocre Force’, Cosimo didn’t know that this was a strange cousin of Timothy’s much stronger

‘Druidic Force’.

Timothy didn’t have an identification crystal, so he was actually using ‘Arts’ from the start. The reason why Cosimo wanted Timothy to become an adventurer was mainly because of that. He saw Timothy trying so hard for other people, with unique magic, just what else could he do? Cosimo wasn’t sure if it would work with Timothy though.  

Both of the ‘Force’ abilities created a layer of energy that could permeate and pass through the body into the world. Cosimo used it for super strength intuitively during the flood.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The final one. He didn’t want to use it. Moreover, he didn’t understand how he got it.

This was something he could only piece together if he had Aeschyli’s and Timothy’s magical knowledge. He didn’t even know that they knew.

“‘Soulbroken’,” he casted.

A black hole opened on his chest and Maria’s knife rose out of it. Blessed by Susanoo, it gleamed with a blue light with a wide blade and a short black handle with stylish rivets.

He wanted to give this away right away. Who cares if it’s blessed by a god?

His body suddenly jerked as the knife was rising out of him. When the knife fully came out he grabbed it.

Just leave it here? Arge will probably find it. What if someone else did though?

He felt a chill the first time realizing that it might cause a whole lot of trouble.

He’d give it to Arge as an apology for dragging him into the pilosa recovery effort  with a caution.

Would Arge turn down a blade blessed by a god?

===========

Cosimo had left the inn and was wandering around the city. He wanted to check out the city center before he left. He needed money, but realized ‘Average’ meant he wasn’t going to get hungry anyways and at least he had a robe on instead of a white sheet. Shoes would be nice.

Slo and Chel weren’t there when he finally got up in the inn. With the power of ‘Average’ he realized that his potential and power was extremely high, but given what happened with Timothy earlier he was afraid and curious of what happened. Did he really just lose it? It felt strange.

There was magic in this world. He knew that. After all, Aeschyli had that spell that controlled his mind, why couldn’t that have happened again? The anger didn’t feel like real anger.

“I can just leave now, if I wanted to…,” he thought walking through the etched alabaster city.

That was until he spotted Arge and Timothy using ‘Form of Dragon’ flying towards in him the city center.

The effect of ‘Soulbroken’ had another part. It would react with Timothy’s soul read from ‘Soul Communication’. This was the same magic reaction as before during the war.

The reason why it would react, and the only thing that Cosimo knew from his identification crystal about ‘Soulbroken’ besides the knife summon was that it said his soul was ‘stained black’.

Cosimo had no idea what that meant.

========

Arge was laying on Timothy’s back as he flew through the air. Timothy seemed like a good person. Aeschyli hadn’t mentioned that at all. Wait, did Aeschyli know that Timothy could talk?

Arge mulled over that. Aeschyli was undoubtedly an evil genius. He had experienced that first hand.

However, he had talked to him first during their sewer fight. He didn’t know that Timothy had talked to countless people during the flood. He never saw Timothy with Slo, Chel, or Doru of course. Except when he was asleep in his ‘Form of Sloth’. Aeschyli just didn’t know what she didn’t know.

Arge had an advantage.

Aeschyli was sleeping at the hospital.

Arge had an advantage over Aeschyli.

Joy spread within his heart. He looked to the blue sky with the passing pink clouds and the mildly raging sun as the wind whipped around him.

How can I use this?

He couldn’t figure it out. He thought of asking for Timothy’s advice, but he knew he would just say something like leave her alone. Timothy wasn’t the vengeful type-

No, wait he totally was, wasn’t he?

When Arge fought him in the sewer he realized that. Deep inside, Timothy was grumpy and angry, he just also happened to have a newly discovered nice side.

“Hey Timothy, can you give me some advice?” he asked.

“Hmm, there’s Cosimo. He’s running for some reason,” Timothy said.

Timothy thought that he really wanted to beat him up.

Before even sorting out that whole magic reaction mess where they fought each other he didn’t like that he lost control again doing a soul read like that time with Arge in the sewer.

Cosimo was the start of his problems. Cosimo was not at fault. Cosimo punched him really hard. Cosimo blew up a part of the city. But hey, that happens. He remembered Cosimo yelling at him to get out of his head. He never thought soul read would make someone angry.

Maybe it's a privacy thing? He saw how humans always wanted their own little closed places everywhere.

There was also the issue of Cosimo being a god being and lying about it. Timothy was just convinced now that he finally showed his true power.

What if he caused the magic reaction to punish Timothy for looking in his head? Then that thing he said about ‘Maria’ and the ‘porn folder’ didn’t make any sense.

Cosimo wasn’t at fault. Timothy still blamed him.

He wanted to fight a wandering god.

He didn’t get to take on that army either.

Timothy is going to ask for a rematch. He’s going to go all out and show Cosimo that he can’t be pushed around, called ‘my steed’ or something like that.

“Cosimo? Guess he woke up. I can finally beat him up now that Slo’s not around him!” cheered Arge.

Timothy was confused. Why would Arge hate Cosimo? Oh wait, maybe he was two timing. He then remembered that time he looked into Arge’s soul, and remembered the name ‘Slo’. He was two timing! Just like him, Timothy nodded in his mind.

“We have something in common then. How about we go beat him up? He’s a god you know, I hope you’re prepared to die.”

“God? He couldn’t even find you, he got Slo started on her crusade to save you when Aeschyli took you. Cosimo can throw a punch, and blow up a city, but that doesn’t make him a god. He’s probably just really strong like Aeschyli!,” he got excited ,” we can beat him up, and then beat her up! Timothy, are you with me?”

“I’ll pass, on the Aeschyli part. You really are stuck on her, huh? Besides, Cosimo is my target,” said Timothy.

Timothy was circling the air keeping his eye on Cosimo who was running at an ‘Average’ speed.

“Okay, whatever, as long as someone hurts him, it’s good,” Arge neglected to use ‘Part 4th Close’ at this point. He missed a good chance.

“Wait,” said Arge, “drop me off at Felix’s place first, I don’t want Aeschyli to go ‘Act 3’ on my ass.”

“‘Act 3’? Now I’m curious, is that an ability?” Timothy said, easily distracted from his ‘Druidic Rage’, an ability he had no idea he was activating and didn’t know he had. After all, he only understood his ‘Arts’ through usage among his people.

“Just drop me off so that you can kill Cosimo for me and I can stop Aeschyli from killing me, she’ll come for you anyways even if you don’t do anything,” he usual stone face had a feeling of fear and sadness about it. Timothy couldn’t see that face.

“Dear me, she’s quite a handful huh? I’m not looking forward to that,” he said as he dived toward Felix’s place. He slapped Arge into the opening that Timothy made with ‘Tongnado’.

“You’re going to steal everything you can and continue seeing Aeschyli despite what you promised, aren’t you?” said Timothy giving him a gimlet look.

“Yeah? And?” said Arge.

Timothy sighed and took off to go finish things with Cosimo.

===========

Cosimo was running through the streets at an ‘Average’ pace. Since he couldn’t get tired, there was no reason to stop. ‘Average’ unfortunately couldn’t let him go any faster either. Since it would reset his speed back to ‘Average’ if he did. It was a strange double edged ability in his mind.

It was only with something like ‘Flow Charge’ that he could use that reset portion of ‘Average’ to it’s fullest.

Cosimo thought he was going to end things with Timothy when he saw him, but his mind and body took off into a sprint instead. He had never run away like that. Thinking of what happened, he just decided, “you know what, forget this. I’ll do everyone a favor if I just get out of town.”

He forgot about Maria’s knife in that moment, which was stuffed into the robe’s waist string

He forgot about apologizing. Just let everything fall away into a whiteless void.

Cosimo entered a mansion grounds. It was Baqashot’s ruined abandoned de facto city hall cum living quarters. There were many abandoned places like these all over Aleppo.

If you were wondering where Baqashot was, well-

Cosimo ran into the garden in front of the place. Timothy was slowing down on purpose above him, showing him that if he wanted to, he could catch up to him in an instant.

Cosimo watched as the ‘Form of Dragon’ Timothy circled once over him, and dropped onto a fountain with a crash. Water sprayed into the sun with shattered alabaster rocks.

Timothy began to wash himself impromptu with his tongue and the water as he deactivated ‘Form of Dragon’.

Cosimo had stopped and was watching him.

Timothy clearly wasn’t going to let him go for some reason, but he wasn’t saying anything.

Cosimo stood there a moment as Timothy bathed. .

“Uh… Do you still think I killed your order?”, said Cosimo. That was the last thing he remembered Timothy saying.

Timothy was silent as he used ‘Druid Force’ to grab large globules of water extending from his tongue and dropping them on himself.

“Look, I’m sorry okay. I don’t know what happened, it was like, I just lost control you know? You did too right? I mean, I only just spent a little time with you but I don’t think you would yell at me like that. That isn’t like you. I’m sorry. I did my best to get you back from Aeschyli after she rode off with you. I made friends. It was just some random people I asked for help really, but they did a lot for me. I… just want to leave. Just let me go,” said Cosimo.

Timothy stepped out of the  fountain and shook the remaining water out of his hair with ‘Druidic Force’.

He shot his tongue out and slapped Cosimo in the face. ‘Darting Tongue’, one of his Ancient Ancestral Arts that he was using on skill and intuition alone.

Cosimo staggered back from the hit, but it wasn’t enough to ground him. It was more shock from the attack. Cosimo thought it was just like he destroyed the order after all. He didn’t deserve this, he thought. Cosimo knew Timothy was much stronger too. Why wasn’t he going all out? If he thought he destroyed the order, wouldn’t he just kill him? Isn’t this just torture? Anger was building in his heart.

Timothy hit him again and again. Cosimo stood there this time and took the hit full on. Pain shot in his mind, then it returns to normal. He gets hit off balance, Then it returns to normal. It’s ‘Average’ to get hit around by a giant anteater after all. The attacks have strength, so why wouldn’t he get pushed around?

Anger was building in his heart. Timothy burst forward using his legs and ‘Druidic Force’ and slapped Cosimo into the air with his nose alone. Timothy touched his tongue to Cosimo’s leg with ‘Druidic Force’ and slapped him into the fountain.

Timothy stared at Cosimo, who was under the water.

Cosimo felt anger building in his heart.

It was ‘Average’ to get angry at this.

It was ‘Average’ to drown in water.

It wasn’t ‘Average’ in his life for him to die. That was ‘Average’ for others.

Why can’t Cosimo run away? Why won’t Timothy talk to him? Had he closed his heart again?

Why do we need to fight?

Can’t we be friends?

The fountain exploded.

Timothy watched as the water shot up into the air like a geyser. It shined and sparkled in the sun framed against the pink clouds. Timothy grinned deep inside.

“Come on,” Timothy thought “Show me who you are! Show me what you’re made of! I’ll bring you down to my level! You think people like you can just do whatever you want! I’ll show you!” he was yelling in his mind in joy. Today he was going to bring justice. Let no order of druidic pilosa burn again.

Cosimo was looking Timothy in the eyes and not turning away. Both of their eyes were sharp.

Cosimo charged his body with ‘Mediocre Force’ with ‘Flow Charge’.

Cosimo would not use the knife.

Cosimo would not use ‘Mediocre’.

He was going to show Timothy that he wasn’t someone you could bully.

He was going to show Timothy that he could talk with him.

Timothy was going to be an adventurer. Cosimo couldn’t run away, because his new home was here in this world.

He sprinted forward and punched Timothy in the nose.

Timothy just stood there with ‘Druidic Force’ waiting for a real attack.

Cosimo used ‘Ancient Earth Arts’. Unfortunately, it wasn’t anything special. It was just what he knew from home.

‘Arts’ were only achieved when you did something special.

Cosimo came to another world.

From his investigation with his identification crystal, it was just that.

Cosimo punched and punched Timothy agains and again taking deep breathes and imagining a target dummy. Every single hit was spectacular for Cosimo, but for Timothy it was average.

Timothy was looking down on him as the punches fell upon him. He wanted he egg him on, but he didn’t want to break the silence. He wanted Cosimo to show him his real power.

The power of ‘Mediocre’. The power he saw him use to revive Xana. Timothy didn’t know the name though.

The power of him portaling into the barn.

Isn’t he a god?

“Cosimo, stop playing around. Fight me for real,” he finally said.

Cosimo stopped punching and said “If I were to get serious, you’d be destroyed in an instant”.

“Really? I’m curious. How about you show me?”, said Timothy.

“Not on you. How about I show you on something else?”, said Cosimo.

“You don’t want to hurt me, huh. That’s usual of you. Lying and playing games. It was your fault when we fought during the flood. You used magic to anger me. You destroyed a city and failed to kill me. Then you act like you’ve passed out like you are far less than your real power. Show me everything you got. If I die, I die,” said Timothy.

Cosimo was tearing up.

“I just want to be your friend. I’m not lying. Not this time. Not this time!” he was losing it a little.

“I can read your soul. But if I do that, you might just use your strange magic again. I can’t trust you,” said Cosimo.

“Look at everyone else, okay? Look at this whole city! I saw you helping everyone during the flood, that was you right? I didn’t know, but it had to be you. You looked like a flying anteater! You trusted all of them, just because I’m from another world that changes everything? Give me a chance! Nothing… I did nothing wrong this time. I don’t need to apologize to you. It just happened. Things can just happen okay? Someone can get portaled from another world in front of you! I’m just ‘Average’,” he wiped his eyes embarrassed he was crying in front of an anteater.

“I’m a pilosa. Timothy, of the Druidic Order of Xenarthra,” he said, “Fight me”.

Cosimo was at a loss. It was simple, he should just run away. Timothy can’t be his friend. He just wasn’t looking at reality. He’ll end it. He’ll use it. He wiped his eyes again and said it cleared eyed.

“Don’t blame me for this. I did nothing wrong this time. I wanted to stay here with you. I’ll leave. I’ll find something by my own,” he said.

“‘Mediocre’”, Cosimo said as he touched Timothy’s trunk.

A dim yellow light spread out from his hand and enveloped Timothy.

Then it burst off of his in small particles of light.

Nothing changed. Truly nothing changed.

Timothy was the same.

“Well? Come on, that couldn’t have been it,” Timothy said.

“That’s… the ability it should work. It’s my strongest. It can bring anyone down to my level,” Cosimo was whining. It should have worked.

The description of ‘Mediocre’ was that it ‘brings the target down to your level’. It diminishes the quality of a being. Why did Xana live? Her health got reset. Her level went down to six. Her charm was lessened.

Timothy was level six now. Arge’s wires that bound him were level six so he could tear them. The door on the boat was level six. Cosimo didn’t know that. He was just baffled. It should do more.

It’s because you can’t read another’s status in this world.

Anyone down to his level?, Timothy thought. Maybe he was wrong. He reviewed the facts in his mind. Was he just being a jerk?

Timothy remembered the fight in the sewer against Arge. When he asks himself if he’s being a jerk, he’s telling himself he knows it’s wrong. That is not justice. That will not save his dead people. Revenge brought him nothing.

Timothy sighed looking at Cosimo’s face. He went too far a long time ago didn’t he. He didn’t wan to let it go. There’s magic here, it’s that simple. This was just more magic than usual. Even if there were mysteries hidden in them…

He thought of the flood and when he hit Arge into the water cylinder. Of how he went mad.

That wasn’t the truth in front of him now. It was a crying kid. Timothy, the druidic bully.

Timothy breathed in through his nose and let out a big sigh. He was hungry. Time to end this.

“You know what? Forget it. Let’s go get something to eat. I’m sure you tried your best, okay? I’ll be waiting for you to show me your true power,” said Timothy.

He didn’t believe that this kid was anything special. Even if he was, that didn’t change that he was trying to be friends with him. Timothy was alone for a long time. He felt great helping people during the flood. It wasn’t like it was with Willem at home but-

It was enough. It was good enough.

“Wha-what? I’m sorry. I’m sorry okay,” Cosimo apologized out of reflex.

“I was the one who started this. I’m the one who should be the one apologizing. I’m not going to though. I’m hungry. You want to be my friend, you’ll come eat with me. Trust isn’t earned in a day,” said Timothy.

Cosimo began to realize he was serious. He got through. He won!

He hugged Timothy’s nose and started crying full on with a smile.

“Get off me,” he shook him off a little roughly, “Let’s go. ‘Form of Man’”

Timothy didn’t want to use this ability the most. Humans were annoying. They lied. They were like Arge.

He was a hero among them now. That was the truth. The city would cheer when they saw him flying with ‘Form of Dragon’.

He was a druidic pilosa, but he could walk among humans too.

“I feel like going for a stroll. After all if I fly back Arge will probably want to use me to help him move stolen furniture,” said TImothy. He was a hairy humanoid still with the long pilosa nose and tongue. He looked like bigfoot.

“Okay! Let’s go,” Cosimo followed after Timothy who was already walking away.