49 A Big Decision
[Alternate Title: Finally off the slippery slope]
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Life was pretty good for Zhen. Well, not all of it, but this week in particular was really fucking good.
'Nothing beats a smile from the Lady Luck.' he smiled to himself.
They were about to attack the Northern Water Tribe with a big fleet. A fleet so big that even some random people could get lucky and get a place at one of the farthest ships in the fleet.
Getting a place like that and increasing your security was a privilege almost exclusive to the sons of the higher ups. Rich or noble young masters who came to the battle not to fight, but to gain merits just by being there.
He looked ahead to see tons of ships in front of his ship. All packed full with fire nation soldiers.
'With a size like this, I probably won't even get to fight! People at the front would finish the job by the time we arrive.'
Sure, it was demeaning and annoying to put up with the young masters who came here with leisure and acted like normal foot soldiers like him were just their servants. But it was worth the trouble as it almost assured his safety for the war and made sure he at least got minimal credit for it.
He whistled as walked along the deck of the ship.
Suddenly he got dragged into the sole toilet of the ship.
'Oh no, oh fuck! I heard about these eccentric young masters with weird tastes! It can't be'
He fiercely fought back for a second before he passed out from a blow to the neck.
Behind him, a shivering Kunyo closed the door.
''Holy fuck, I underestimated the coldness of the water. Thank God I know the breath of fire and various other techniques to warm myself.''
--------20 minutes later---------
I hummed as my plan was working as intended.
It was simple really, just do what Zuko did and get to the spirits.
Although this uniform is a bit tight, it an easy and simple disguise.
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[Congragulations! This is your first cross-path Mission!]
[In cross-path missions, you choose between two missions. Each mission comes with different objectives, rewards and outcomes. Choose Wisely!]
[Mission 1: Merciful Saviour]
[Objective: Save the Ocean or the Moon Spirit's life.]
[Side Objective: Do it without killing anybody.]
[Side Objective: Do it without anybody finding your identity.]
{A just man doesn't care about races or sides, he only protects the victim! Save the Ocean or the Moon Spirit despite being a fire bender! Do it without hurting killing anybody to further prove your pure heart. If you can, go even beyond and take no credit for it and prove that you seek no glory from your heroic actions! A true hero seeks no glory nor any applause from his actions!}
[Reward: Spark of Divinity, Blessing of the Ocean, Water bending, increased closeness and respect from every sea creature]
[Side Reward 1: Merciful Title]
[Side Reward 2: Heroic Title, Stealth Skill Rank Upx1]
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'That's really fucking good... Titles entice me A LOT. I don't really use the stealth skill and I think I can get water bending through energy bending, but those titles, spark of divinity and a blessing? Mission 2 should be comparable to this. Let me see.'
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[Mission 2: Selfish Dictator]
[Objective: Make sure both the spirit of moon and the spirit of ocean are dead and anybody or anything (princess Yue etc.) can replace their places.]
{A selfish dictator doesn't care about the innocence of his victims, he only dominates and takes away what he wants! Kill the two most important spirits of the water benders, permanently cripple the water benders and make sure those two almost divine spirits aren't coming back!}
[Side Objective 1: Kill at least 10000 people from the Northern Water Temple or kill at least 500 water benders ]
[Side Objective 2: Make sure your name and face is known through the world with your cruel actions.]
[Reward: A very high chance to become a God of Fire, Significant anger and decreased closeness from most spirits, Random Stat RankUPx1]
[Side Reward 1: Merciless Title, MurderHobo Title
[Side Reward 2: Significant anger and decreased closeness from most water benders, mildly decreased closeness from most of the humans, mildly increased fear from most of the humans and the spirits, Random Stat RankUPx1, Rule of Cool (Charisma Skill)]
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''Woah''
This time I couldn't keep my mouth shut. The rewards were incredible. Unlike the other mission that gave vague rewards (I don't even know what a spark of divinity does, not to mention all those titles) this one gave clear rewards. Clear and incredible rewards.
An almost guaranteed way to become a Fire God... I'm going to take a guess and say the divine spark is similar but without the predetermined path (fire) and way less success chance.
Apart from the rank ups, rule of cool was also incredible. I'm just saying because I want to be cool or something, no. Rule of cool is a genuinely incredible charisma skill, if it's the rule of cool I remember of course.
Think about it, I could be a ruler so easily thanks to my incredible charisma that came from the skill. Everything I made would look cool and justified. I skill any ruler would need...
Blessing from an ocean god? I'm about to become a god myself, how useful can that be? Stealth rank-up? I barely ever use that skill. Titles? Their names hardly inspire any hope inside of me. How good can they be?
Sigh.
The more murderous path seems not only easier, but also with better rewards.
But I don't want it.
I can see it. This is a slippery slope. A slippery slope I already jumped in when I killed those dragons. I can get off now. I can get off this disgusting slippery slope that will change my entire life with a single decision.
I can handle my greed.
'Megumin, father, mother, my teacher... If I continue this murderhobo way, I will disappoint all of you, won't I?'
I'm going to be honest, I'm not making this decision for them.
I've already learned that I should live for myself, not for the other people. Not for other people's thoughts, decisions or ideas.
I'm not making this decision because I want their affection or anything.
It's just... Do I really want to live like a Wuxia/Xianxia Main Character? A murderhobo that would do anything for benefits?
It's not that bad of an idea, gaining power wherever I go and leaving corpses behind, but I don't really need to live such a life do I? I have a cheat. A cheat perhaps good enough to place at the peak in the future.
I'm not so desperate that I need to kill people to gain power. I already proved that I can get stronger without such things.
Besides, this kind of thing would also leave many enemies behind. I'm wouldn't be the only one who would be in danger.
I looked at the 'rewards' from the second quest. They were more of an outcome rather than a reward. Enmity from so many beings.
'Isn't this dangerous? Making so many enemies?'
I slightly shivered, not from the cold, but from remembering the stories neet read in the past.
They would come after me. If they couldn't come after me, they go after people I loved.
I don't want to live in constant danger.
I don't want my life to become a revenge story.
I don't want insanity anywhere near me.
'...'
'Yeah, this is the right choice.'
I mentally click the first mission, accepting it immediately.
I'm officially off the slippery slope that would most likely lead to my fall.
[An: To be clear, Mc won't be a straight up hero. It's just that, he will be much more careful about killing people (karma style. Creating a bloody path behind him would be detrimental for his future and potentially dangerous, he saw it and decided to put a stop to it while he could)]
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