Now I am fine

Chapter 34

Dane suddenly woke up as the warm sun touched his cheeks; a familiar sound resonated outside his room. As he stood up, he felt light and small; he raised his hands and saw he was a young boy. He jumped out of his bed and ran toward the mirror beside his cabinet. As he stood in front of it, he just smiled and told himself, "It's just a bad dream."

Miyako, his mother, took a peek at Damon's open door and saw him standing in front of the mirror, a look of relief on his face. She knew he had been struggling with nightmares lately and was glad to see him looking so at peace. She gently knocked on the door, and as the seven-year-old Damon Lzarus turned around to look, he was greeted with a warm smile from his mother.

The young Damon ran toward his mother and gave her a hug and cried, saying that he missed her so much, the elegant-looking mother who was born with natural beauty and skills in the ways of the sword. Kneel at the floor and kiss his son on the forehead and assure him she also missed him.

"Hush now, sweet son, come. Your father is waiting for you to join us for breakfast. I made waffles and bacon just the way you like it." Damon's eyes lit up at the mention of waffles and bacon, his favorite breakfast. He quickly wiped away his tears and followed his mother to the dining room, eager to reunite with his father and enjoy a delicious meal together.

Edward was seen pouring milk into a tall glass as they entered the kitchen. Edward was a tall, lean man; his body is filled with scars that he hides under his long-sleeved polo shirt. He gained a reputation for being strict and dedicated to being the best, even after retirement; many soldiers who came under his command paid him a visit as they asked for advice and guidance in their own military missions. Despite his tough exterior, Edward was known for his compassion and willingness to help others succeed in their endeavors.

Even the pentagon had to change his background as he is considered to be a true soldier , his exploits were legendary to those who knew him, the deaths under his belt laid the faoundation were his military unit stood as the most respected and successful in the field. His leadership style and dedication to his troops left a lasting impact on all who served under him.

He was much older than Miyako, about a five-year age gap, but it never hindered their love. Miyako admired his wisdom and experience, while he appreciated her charm, beauty, innovative ideas, and lastly, her skill in killing her enemies with a katana, as they both met in the most violent period of their lives.

Edward Lazarus was sent to eliminate the oldest and most influential yakuza clan in Japan. The Yamaguchi clan has branched out into many legal business establishments, but a few clan members still remained deeply involved in criminal activities. The Azai clan, to whom Miyako was part, was hired by one of the Yamaguchi descendants to be their guard.

The Azai clan's native home is at Ōmi Province, but because of the changes in the economic landscape, many clan members went to major cities to seek better opportunities and expand their knowledge until Miyako Azai's great-grandfather worked for one of the five direct descendants of the Yamaguchi clan in the late seventies.

Miyoko's father soon took the helm and became the Yamaguchi Black Clan's official assassins and enforcers, ensuring the family's safety and interests were protected at all costs. Miyako grew up surrounded by violence and secrecy, shaping her into a formidable and feared figure within the criminal underworld.

Until in 2001, the Japanese government secretly asked another country to help them eliminate the large volume of drugs circulating in their country; in exchange, they would buy 40 percent of military weapons from them. Edward Lazarus was tasked to do this under the flag of his established mercenary group backed up by the government to provide them undocumented missions for a price.

The mercenary sanctioned group was called Knight Veil. Seventy retired members who worked with Edward Lzarus became part of this group. KV70 ravaged targeted Japanese cities under the cloak of the night and violently killed all yakuza members in many different clans until 180,000 members were reduced to 14 thousand as these members were old and had changed their ways and even became successful individuals in their respective fields. The brutal attacks orchestrated by Knight Veil caused chaos and fear among the remaining yakuza clans, leading to a power struggle within the criminal underworld of Japan. The government turned a blind eye to Knight Veil's actions, viewing them as a necessary evil to maintain order and eliminate the influence of the yakuza.

Until fate intervened, and Knight Veil Founder decided to pass his authority to two of his trusted lieutenants, who were tasked with continuing his mission based on their own ideals and strategies. But Edward insisted on upholding the code of protecting the innocent and weak and eliminating those who are a threat..

After surviving the bloodiest battle with other yakuza enforcers, Miyako and Edward were once adversaries. However, inadvertently, they fell in love after Edward defeated Miyako, as she lowered her guard as who was force by her father to attacked him directly after his identity was exposed that came from a disgruntled ex government agent, and learned that the man she was currently dating was a KV70 member.

After the mission, Edward retires and marries Miyako Azai against her father's wishes and migrates and lives at the Lazarus family land, where Damon Lazarus was born. Stories about their exploits were legendary, as the majority of the Lazarus clan could never defeat Miyako in an open duel; she was highly respected and loved by the Lazarus clan.

Dane continues to stare at his parents while eating waffles. Edward saw that Damon was particularly fascinated by their love story, as he watched his son's eyes light up with admiration. He knew that their legacy would live on through Damon, who would carry on the Lazarus family name with pride. After eating, Damon, even as a young child, was taught how to be independent and understood household chores. But he still liked the fact his parents were still showing affection to each other while they did this menial task on a daily basis at their farm home.

The Lazarus farm was so big that it was actually owned by six Lazarus siblings who inherited it from their grandparents; Edward, the eldest, owns eight acres, and the others have the same. This day was the same as the other in that after breakfast, Damon would accompany his father to feed their farm animals. And after Edward would give Damon light training for two hours, he would go to school, and after going home, he would now get lessons from his mother. Damon hated it at first, as he wanted to play with his cousin, but soon he enjoyed it, especially when it was Saturday and Sunday, as he would take it upon himself to train early in the morning. Still, hunting skills and swordsmanship were getting sharper every other day..

He loved sparring with his cousin, who was much older than him. Emmit at that time was ten years old and much bigger and taller than Damon, who was just seven years old. Damon got beaten every time, but he never stopped sparring with them as he was enjoying it. Damon was like his parents; he never stopped until he overcame a challenge and loved the thrill of fighting, as he felt it was a true test of his abilities. Despite his age and size disadvantage, Damon's determination and passion for improvement only grew stronger with each defeat, fueling his desire to become a skilled soldier like his father.

He would cry when he got wounded, but his mother would always tell him that pain is temporary, and it will only make him stronger in the end. She shared stories that when she was younger than him, her father would hit her every time she made a mistake in her swordsmanship dance.

She too cried until she realized what she was doing; she perfected it, so she took extra time to master her father's teaching until he never hit her again.

"There is always a reason, son; pain and suffering is just part of the journey to greatness," she would say. This lesson stuck with him as he faced his own struggles and challenges, always remembering that adversity can lead to growth and strength in the end.

Damon nodded in understanding, knowing that the difficult times he faced were shaping him into a stronger and more resilient person. He carried this lesson with him throughout his life, always striving to overcome obstacles with grace and never stopping. Days went on as he enjoyed every single moment he was with his parents and cousin; he felt he spent nearly a year with them.,

Damon was happy. Until one night, when he was lying on his bed, he felt he needed to see his parents for a very weird feeling and reason. He called out for them, and as soon as they rushed and came inside his room, he saw his father and mother stop and became motionless and just stopped moving. Damon stood up from his bed. Suddenly, the room he was in became old and worn down; his mother and father were starting to become blurry. When he saw the older version of him, who was curious and isolated, while the erratic, adventurous, courageous young boy stared at the man he would become eventually.

Soon another person appeared; it was the less older version of him; it was the one who was filled with anger and hate. He wanted to destroy everything and everyone around him. Damon realized that he was witnessing different versions of himself from the past and future, each representing a different aspect of his personality. As he watched in shock, he knew he had to make a choice on which path to follow.

The three face each other and understood they were in fake world were they created, Damon experience all of this and joy, pian and ultimately, a sense of clarity washed over him. He knew that in order to move forward, he needed to embrace the parts of himself that he had been running from. He has forgotten that when he was away from his family, he got into a lot of fights and problems when he was still in junior college. Every time he would come back home, he would act like everything was ok, the comfort his parents gave him the courage to fight and never back down. In his junior college days, he had to fight off many rich school bullies. He realized that his family's support had always been his source of strength, and he needed to acknowledge and appreciate that.

The hate and frustration he gained soon became a double-edged sword until he was able to overcome these problems but without leaving a deep scar on his heart. The younger Damon never expected that these scars would take root and grow to consume his adult persona, leading him to struggle with trust and vulnerability in his relationships.

As Damon aged, the deep-seated sadness stemming from his parents' loss festered, transforming into a shield of isolation and distrust. He erected walls around himself, refusing to let anyone breach his carefully constructed solitude. Driven by a need for control, he took on the burden of tasks meant for a team, shouldering the weight of responsibility alone. This self-imposed isolation and relentless workload ultimately led to burnout and profound loneliness, mirroring the very emptiness he was trying to avoid.

The pain of his loss became an all-consuming force, blurring his focus and leaving him vulnerable to despair. In a desperate attempt to cope, Damon fractured under the pressure. He compartmentalized his experiences, creating three distinct personalities, each destined to inhabit their own manufactured reality, a world fueled by the singular emotion they had become intimately acquainted with.

The three were arguing about who shall take the main host body after a long wait when his true emotions were sealed; this was the moment when they each wanted to live again as the new Dane. Until the youngest finally opened his thoughts and captured the other two's attention, the young child pointed out that it's a huge mistake and dishonor to their parents if they act like this; all of their experiences are equally important and should be valued equally. The three realized that their individual experiences and emotions were what made them unique, and they agreed to work together to coexist peacefully within the host body.

Waking up and feeling refreshed was something Dane enjoyed; the temporary shelter Ward created for him was no longer there, and the dead remains of the dire wolves were also nowhere to be seen. He felt whole and complete, as if a huge burden was taken off his chest. He wanted to finish his task in obtaining the mana vein without even realizing he was still inside a dark, interconnected tunnel labyrinth. He wasn't scared nor reluctant to continue his descent down further into the heart of the cursed cave.

But this time he was no longer questioning his actions, as he had already computed all the factors and risks involved, knew what to do in case of an emergency, and was determined to see his mission through to the end.

He was now excited; the thrill was getting into his veins. This was like when he was younger. The fear was there, but it was overshadowed by a confidence in his mind. Adventurous, cautious, thorough, and unyielding to fear and surrender—a true Lazarus.

The confusion surrounding everything was no longer lingering at the back of his mind; he saw reality as it is and just planned to enjoy it without hesitation and second thoughts. As he stood up, he noticed that his clothes were still tattered and torn. He summoned his weapon, but nothing happened; a notification was heard, but this time it wasn't Mikos's artificial voice.

"AI ASSISTANT MIKO IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF ACCOMPLISHING HER ASSIGNED TASK; PLEASE WAIT UNTIL SAID TASK IS DONE."

Dane knew who the voice was and smiled regardless, "It's nice to hear your voice again, Ward."

"YOU ARE WELCOME. THE FORLESS ARMOR CAN NOW BE USED WITH MINIMAL CONSUMPTION OF MANA."

"ALL SIX FUSED SKILLS ARE NOW FULLY VOID OF ANY MALICIOUS PARASITIC ANOMALY "

"BUT AS FOR NOW, IT'S ON HOLD., PENDING COMPLETION OF MIKOS PRIMARY TASK."

Dane nodded, grateful for Ward's assistance. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the next task, knowing he had a powerful ally by his side. .

"How long has it been out?"

"YOU WERE UNCONSCIOUS, APPROXIMATELY TWELVE HOURS; IT'S CURRENTLY NIGHT."

"THE ONLY AVAILABLE WEAPON THAT CAN BE USED IS THE KATANA, AS YOU ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF AMMO."

"DUPLICATION OF AMMO HAS BEEN SUSPENDED, AS YOUR GUARD THESE FEATURES ARE CONSIDERED ANOMALIES. AS WELL AS OTHER SKILLS,"

"SO I TOOK UPON MYSELF BASED ON THE PERSONALITY YOU GAVE ME,"

" AS THE MAIN SYSTEM HAS ALREADY NOTICE YOUR PRECENSE BUT HAS TAKING ANY ACTION YET"

"I AM JUST PROTECTING YOUR INTEREST. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM RELYING TO MUCH ON THOSE ABILITIES. YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON HONING YOUR PHYSICAL COMBAT SKILLS WITH THE KATANA INSTEAD.

" "REMEMBER, YOUR TRUE STRENGTH LIES IN YOUR OWN ABILITIES, NOT JUST THOSE GRANTED BY THIS NEW REALITY."

"You really are like my father, always pushing me to be better and rely on my own skills rather than shortcuts or external powers."

"I will take your advice to heart and focus on honing my physical combat skills with my mothers katana."

"So let's start the hunt!"

" I am a bit hungry!"

" I hope those dire wolves are edible?"