Mo’han Khan [ Level 98 ]

  Titles: [ Behemoth Slayer ] [ Sector Prodigy ]

  The distance between them was closed in an instant, and Mo’han’s massive arms wrapped around him. Luckily, Aaron was far, far stronger than any normal human; otherwise, the mighty asura’s hug would have squeezed his internals out like a stick of toothpaste.

  “Wow, you’re in a good mood, mate.”

  “I sure am, A-ran! I have found a god with whom I see eye to eye with! He has blessed me, and I believe we shall make a fine alliance!”

  That was good news, Aaron thought. But he didn’t see a new title… then again, Mo’han didn’t need to equip said title, but he didn’t think the big guy was the kind to hide such a thing. Not that it was overly surprising, True Blessings weren’t meant to be common. Darius had just thrown his expectations off.

  “So, who is it, big fella?”

  “His name is Ivantis, God of War. I quite enjoyed his pitch. It should make for a good partnership.”

  Well, he’s on my side at least… Aaron thought. He didn’t want to get on the bad side of the God of War.

  “God of War, huh? Impressive.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yeah, maybe even cooler than Martial god.”

  Hopefully, Yendal couldn’t hear anything he said in the trials hallway.

  “Oh, right, Marital God, that’s that Yendal Goddess, right?” Mo’han said, and shuddered.

  “Yeah. She’s… ah, tough.”

  “I’ll say. We have kind of similar patron gods, no?”

  “Yeah, I guess we do,” Aaron agreed.

  “Like Eskimo brothers!”

  Aaron coughed. “Sorry, what?”

  “Like Eskimo brothers!” repeated Mo’han.

  “...I think that’s being translated wrong, because that means something very different on my world.”

  “Oh, does it? Fascinating. Please, explain.”

  “Ah, maybe another time. By the way, I’ve been cooking,” Aaron cracked his fingers as he eagerly changed the subject.

  “Cooking?” Mo’han blanched.

  “I’ve been mixing it up. I think you might actually like it this time.”

  “You think?”

  “Hey!” Talia called as she made her way over, interrupting the conversation. “I did it. I’ve unlocked the stages needed for the viewing room. Didn’t take too long, did it?”

  “No. Perfect timing, actually,” Aaron said.

  “Agreed!” Mo’han boomed.

  “So, shall we check it out?”

  Of course they did, and Aaron and Mo’han quickly shuttled her into the room. The less they spoke in the hallway, the better, Aaron figured. There was no need to share any of their plans with the others.

  They got comfortable and had Rudolf show them the next to arrive, as Aaron went over the thoughts he had about their new world.

  Talia was very receptive. She basically agreed with everything Aaron had thought of. If anything, she seemed to want to take things further, and continued to tell him about the Tutorial.

  She explained how many people just weren’t fit for fighting, and how people like herself had to carry the torch and provide some kind of security for whatever came next, and seeing people like Darius had only reinforced these fears.

  Society needed strong people, she explained. Without them, it was destined to fall.

  Still, despite seeing eye-to-eye on many things, their little chat was a long way from really achieving anything, but at least he had one human who appeared to be on his side. Aaron was certainly thankful for that, even if it was just to have someone to talk to.

  “Really, so you are able to bring everyone with you from your Tutorial? Damn, that is helpful.”

  “Yep,” Talia nodded. “But I shouldn’t make it sound like I’m just some kind of hero. They’ve helped me at least as much as I’ve helped them. If not for the others in my Tutorial… well, I probably wouldn’t have gotten this far to begin with. Items, consumables, even information. It all helps. You have no idea how handy it is to have an entire camp full of crafters. I was able to focus on leveling and questing while they worked tirelessly. I’m beyond grateful for their help. When I saw the Waypoint for sale, there really was no questioning it.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  Somehow, Aaron really hadn’t thought very much about other Professions, let alone people who focused on their Professions.

  He was here because making some kinds of alliances was a conscious effort to be thoughtful. He was forcing himself to be mature and look at the bigger picture, even if it wasn’t really his style. It was less something he wanted to do, and more something he told himself he probably should do.

  But the way Talia spoke about the crafters in her camp… it was eye-opening. Aaron had gotten so used to relying on himself in the trials that he really didn’t even consider the thought of leaning on others for help. But if he could? Well, that it would arguably be more foolish to overlook than allies. After all, there was no guarantee he would end up anywhere near Talia, or any others that reached the trials.

  But random crafters? There would be millions, maybe even billions, who survived the Tutorial, and he’d probably cross paths with some.

  The conversation also reminded him of the settlement items he had gained through the trials. Maybe he wouldn’t rush off to trade them immediately, not that he had necessarily decided to own his own settlement, but he would at least keep an open mind about it for now.

  After all, if said settlement was essentially just a bunch of crafters keeping him outfitted with the best gear, then what was the harm?

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  A strange realization hit him at that point. It was… confidence. Well, he had always had a strange kind of confidence, but this was more than that. He no longer thought of himself as the little fish struggling against the current that was the multiverse. He was planning and strategizing as if he would be a real contender for power after this was all said and done, and wouldn’t he?

  Easy, there. They’re all still at a much higher level than you.

  For now, he thought it best to settle his runaway ambition. Aaron wanted to remind himself not to get carried away, to remain grounded at least until he had tested himself against true powers.

  “So, what do you think? Anyone we can work with?” Aaron said as they watched the top Tutorial takers.

  “Most, I think,” Talia said. “Although that Ernest Sheridan guy… yeah, I’m not sure about him.”

  Aaron agreed with the take, although in all honesty, Ernest gave him less of the creeps than Johan, and he was a little surprised that Talia didn’t even mention the guy.

  Am I being too harsh with the cult accusations?

  He decided to leave what he thought about Johan unsaid for now. The last thing he wanted was to be known as someone who stirred up drama. If Johan proved himself to be a decent guy, he didn’t want that tainted by having told Talia he thought the guy reminded him of a cult leader.

  Then again, if he was right and he didn’t say anything, that would be much worse. Still, he didn’t have to bring it up right then. They would have plenty of time to talk about it later, and he was eager to see how they liked his new style of cooking.

  “Well, we made some good progress. I’ll have to come looking for you at some point after the trials. Iron out all of this,” Aaron said.

  “Same,” Talia agreed. “If we apply ourselves to this, I’m sure we can make a difference.”

  Aaron believed her. She really did seem to have her heart in the right place, which was more than a little refreshing.

  “Well, how about a meal to celebrate? To new starts, or something?”

  “A meal?” Mo’han shuddered again. “The one you cooked?”

  “I don’t know…” Talia said. “Will it look like the other things you were eating?”

  “Definitely not,” said Aaron. “This one looks pretty damn delicious, if I do say so myself.”

  “Well, maybe… I guess I’ll take a look.”

  “Perfect,” Aaron rubbed his hands together. “You two wait right here.”

  Mo’han didn’t look interested at all, while Talia was clearly apprehensive, though having not seen Aaron’s cooking sessions, she was a bit more receptive than the asura.

  “Bánh mì,” Aaron said, placing the trays down.

  “Really? That’s one of my favorites!” Talia said.

  She still looked a bit apprehensive, but Aaron could tell she was wavering.

  “Dig in. They should be delicious… I think,” Aaron scratched at his neck.

  Mo’han sat uneasily, watching Talia as she took one.

  “Not hungry?” asked Talia.

  “Oh, no, Ta-lia, I am. It’s just—”

  “Why are you watching me like that? Take one for yourself.”

  “I just think–”

  “You are not letting me do this alone. You take one too, and we’re taking a bite at the same time.”

  “Ta-lia…”

  “Mo’han,” she said sternly.

  “Hey, it’s not that big a deal,” said Aaron.

  Both of the others glared at him, and he went quiet.

  Reluctantly, Mo’han reached for a sandwich, picking it up gingerly as if afraid to touch what was inside it. Talia handled hers delicately as well, and the way they stared at the food made Aaron nervous, too. What if it really was awful? What if he was just incapable of cooking normal food now?

  “On three,” said Talia. “One… Two… Three…”

  Together, they leaned in and took a bite. Talia took a full bite, getting all the insides, while Mo’han appeared to chicken out and only took a nibble of bread. Mo’han had an unreadable expression as he chewed, but Talia’s face ran a gamut from surprise to joy to elation.

  “Oh my… Aaron… this is… DELICIOUS! You made this all by yourself?”

  “Yep! I even baked the buns.”

  Nodding and furiously munching down, a squeak of a moan escaped Talia’s lips. “Well, you hit the spot. This thing is fantastic. It might even be the best I’ve ever had!”

  Mo’han still looked apprehensive, as if he didn't entirely believe what Talia had said earlier regarding the food Aaron made.

  “What about you, big fella? Gonna try it for real this time?”

  “Yes, A-ran,” Mo’han swallowed, gathering his courage. “I will.”

  “Don’t be a coward,” said Talia, taking another bite.

  That seemed to rile Mo’han up a bit, and his second bite was much bigger, tearing off a whole quarter of the sandwich. The moment Mo’han bit down, his entire body language changed. His muscles and shoulders relaxed, and his face brightened.

  “This is… A-ran, this is AMAZING!”

  I did it, I actually did it! I cooked food people can actually eat!

  Somehow, this was one of Aaron’s most rewarding achievements since arriving. He had finally made food that people who were not ogres enjoyed. It was a breakthrough of the highest order, and he felt his inspiration for cooking boiling over to new heights.

  This was just the first real step on his journey to the peak. A conceptualization of what he needed to do. A new path that was his own, neither ogre nor martial prodigy, but something else.

  It was his stubbornness and unrelenting will that had given him the strength to go against his Profession and the power granted to him by the System and redirect the flow of his path in a way that suited him. Nothing was more Aaron than that. Nothing and nobody was more persistent, and that proof of concept was what set him apart from others and was a fundamental pillar of the truths that his path was built upon.

  He grinned deviously.

  Cooking food that people enjoyed was merely a bonus; the true breakthrough was how he had shaped his path to suit his own desires and had done so without turning his back on the important and groundbreaking rules and lessons he had learned.

  For he was not just stubborn. There was a method to his madness, and Aaron didn’t reinvent the wheel just for the sake of it. He took lessons passed down by his patron gods seriously, and he baked them into a style of his own making, wasting nothing in the process.

  “Can I have another?” Talia asked as she finished her roll.

  “ME TOO!”

  “Hold on,” Aaron said as he passed out seconds.

  As they ate, he decided it was time to try it for himself, and bit into one…

  Ohh…. FUCK!!!

  It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it left a little to be desired… All his hard work, and the reality was, he found a pot of rotweed stew more appetizing. Still, it wasn’t a complete failure or anything. But he was still some way off what he wanted.

  He wanted to create a dish that humans enjoyed as much as he did, and there was still some way to go before achieving that.

  “Are you okay, A-ran? You look like you’re in pain.”

  “You weren’t joking.” Talia’s face scrunched up, and she looked at Aaron with concern. “He really does look like he’s in pain, doesn’t he?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “I’m not in pain, okay? It’s just, well, my tastes are a little screwed up. But I’m working on it!”

  “You don’t have to eat it if it's hurting you.” Talia caught his gaze and gently patted his thigh. “No one is going to think any less of you.”

  IS SHE COMFORTING ME?!

  “I’m fine, I swear! Nothing wrong. Just a little calibration needed.”

  “She’s right, A-ran. We won’t hold this against you.”

  She’s got Mo’han acting this way, too?! I gotta put a stop to this!

  “I’m fine, I swear! You’ll see! We’re all going to enjoy a meal together, I swear!”

  “Okay, we believe you,” Talia cooed. “Just take it easy, okay? We don’t want you to overdo it.”

  How did things get to this state? I need a reset!

  “Oh, well, I'd better get moving,” Aaron jumped to his feet. “There are trials that need doing, after all.”

  Talia and Mo’han shared a knowing look as Aaron left.

  Storming out of the room, he barely made it halfway down the hallway before he spotted new arrivals.

  It was another alien. A cyclops to be precise, and he was one muscular dude, and stood at least seven feet tall with a cutlass sheathed at his side.

  “C’mon then, how about you!” He demanded, pointing at Pentival Mortheim, who stood some way away with a couple of his people.

  The self-proclaimed emperor had a little section beside the trial dial where he and his minions caught up between trials, and he was currently hanging out with two of them.

  “There has to be one of you willing to challenge me! Or is everyone in the damn place a coward!?” The cyclops boomed.

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