Warlock of Oceans: My Poseidon System

"N-No, I don't believe you, but… you seem kind of weak for a god. Also, you aren't how I expected you to look. You look… almost a bit too weak to be a god," I replied with as much respect I could muster because if he really was a god, then angering him wouldn't do me any good. "I don't mean to disrespect you. It's just…."

"No, I understand what you mean," The man's soothing voice infiltrated my ears, calming down almost instantly. It was definitely the work of some kind of magic, but I couldn't really identify if it was a skill. If it was, I probably would have felt mana which contradicts my previous statement, but there is a magic that can be utilized without the use of this lifeblood we have… but only the pinnacle of beings was able to use them.

Find your next adventure on empire

"Then… am I allowed to ask what happened?" I was intrigued, and due to his serenity, I felt like I could extract some information without him getting angry or annoyed over it. Of course, I wasn't going to push it, but it's not every day you get to meet a god.

"Unfortunately, I cannot tell you… hmmmm… you're a human. Normally, people would be bowing down at my presence, even sensing how much I've fallen… have you seen a god before? Do you remember that time the goddess transferred your soul into this young boy's body?"

Instead of me asking questions, the man easily took the upper hand. But for some reason, I felt no threat from him, allowing the words to flow easily from my mouth.

"I do, but I'm sure you remember that. I mean, you even gave me a system, so you must want something from me. Do you want me to do something for you? All I am is a slave to this system's quests, and all I can do is follow it; otherwise, I'm fucked over. You seem pretty nice for somebody with such a shitty system."

"I do not manage the system directly as it is its own entity. Sure, I can grant you quests, but that's not very common. In fact, I've only given you the main quest at the beginning of your life on this new planet. It's full of strong people and many mysteries for you to discover, so just have fun."

"W-What do you mean? Are you saying you reincarnated me into this boy with so many fucking problems I can hardly list them out? On top of all the problems and quests, this stupid system piled onto me… and you're saying this is for my own enjoyment?"

"Being strong takes hardship. I'm sure you know that better than anybody else as a survivor of that horrible experiment. Really, I feel for you. Put through so much torture, experiments, and training just to turn into a dog that fought for nearly your entire life. I'm glad you escaped, but it's unfortunate that you met your end a bit sooner than predicted."

"Than predicted? Are you saying I died really before I should have? Are you just trying to rub in my bad luck?" I snarled, slowly getting pissed off with this man. He keeps making up excuses to continue torturing me with this goddamn system. I never asked for it… "I NEVER FUCKING ASKED FOR A SYSTEM! WHY ME!? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ME!? CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME BE AT PEACE!?"

"No, I never meant to remove you from your peace. I just wanted to give you an opportunity to-" The man attempted to make more excuses, only to pause as he saw my face crumple with drops of emotion. They mixed and splurged together into something uncanny that plastered itself against my face. This caused him to pause his attempt at speaking, letting me say the words I'd been begging to say.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Can't you just let me be happy for once? I just want to be happy. Is that too much to ask for?" I smiled through a single tear sliding down my cheek. That was all the emotion I could muster, as my previous life had practically killed all of it. Even in my new life, I was no more than an unfeeling husk of somebody who would have never amounted to anything if it wasn't for his suffering and pain.

The man saw my pitiful state, collapsing to the water below, moistening my pants as I kneeled there. He stuttered, opening and closing his mouth with words unbearably dissociated from the English language. I had no clue what he was saying. Some kind of language exclusively for the gods… but I guess what made me trust him just a bit more was his face. He looked like a person who had done something wrong with his creased eyebrows, and even though his eyes weren't visible, I could tell they wanted to show something. Maybe sympathy, maybe sadness. And then, the only thing he could mutter was:

"I'm sorry."

I grit my teeth, gnashing my molars and canines together as this is the only thing I can muster. With no other soul inside my body to influence my emotions, the only thing left were a few drops of rage and pity for my own being. Pity for my own soul and disgustingly tainted flesh. Trained to be like this. Tortured to be like this.

"I actually-" The man took a few steps back as he saw my face filled to the brim with rage shoot up at him. The pathetic god almost seemed to whimper as he gulped down a drop of saliva. "I actually have a departing gift for you."

He gestured down towards the edge of the hall we were in, and opposite to the position of his throne was a hall leading straight down into pitch-black darkness. Seeing I had no more business here, I walked towards it, not caring what really happened to me. My state was something that could easily be taken advantage of, and I was well aware of that.

Slowly, my foot reached out towards the first inch of darkness, and I stepped on it, feeling its sturdy body support the entirety of my weight. There was no wobbliness or looseness in the footing I stood on, so I continued down into the darkness. I walked and walked and walked until I ran into a hooded figure.

She was clad in white, the entire hood covering everything but a slick smile that greeted me. Her bow was elegant and beautiful but also strange as she lifted her fingers slightly upwards. And all of a sudden, from nothing, a stand appeared. It was like that of a scamming magic stand where somebody would read your fortune.

"Pick a card, any card," The woman smiled, spreading out exactly twenty-two glistening cards. The back of each was a pale white, with a single black dot in the middle of every single one. They were ominous and released a light black mist that almost seemed to pull my fingers towards it. It was like they were infecting my subconscious mind. "Of the major arcana, only one is you. Only one represents you."

"What is that?" I asked, wiping the residual moisture from under my eyes. "Is this some kind of magic trick?"

The woman only continued to smile in the darkness surrounding us, and seeing how she didn't seem intent on answering any of my questions, I reached out towards one but quickly retracted my hand. I cleared my throat, my head, and my joints from any stiffness. I needed to be clear and concise, making sure to pick the best one as whatever this was may have some effect on me later on in life.

And then, upon feeling my mind become as clear as the night sky on a summer evening, I picked a card. Exactly one card and then flipped it over, causing the woman's smile to grow even wider. This sent chills down my spine as she slowly opened those thin lips of hers.

"The Hanged Man. Interesting. I can see it in your eyes… it's a befitting match," The woman muttered, her voice sending chills down my spine once again. Goosebumps erupted across my skin, covering each and every inch of my body as the woman pushed my hand, holding the card, further toward me.

"What does it mean? Am I going to be hanged in the future?" I began to sweat as the image of a man hanging upside down from a wooden log shaped into that of a cross stared at me. The man's hair was golden and flickering like the fire of the sun. And speaking of the sun, the man's head was encapsulated in a glowing aura looking similar to that of a sun.

"Fufufufu…" The woman lightly chuckled before placing both elbows on the stand and leaning forward. "You cannot help yourself through independent action. There is no avenue for the will to regain control until the situation has passed. Study and meditate on the position you find yourself in. Only those who possess wisdom, patience, and optimism will be able to see through limitations, including possible humiliation, to grasp the inspiring lesson one can gain from such an experience."

I just stared at the woman, hearing her describe both of my lives so far.