CHP. Starting Over

Disclaimer: I don't own any anime, movies, music, comics, or games.

Bold - Techniques/Items/Skills/Weapons/Demon Mode / Events/ Organizations.

Italics - Thoughts/Telepath dialogues/ flashbacks/ Songs/music/phonecalls.

Russell sighed in frustration. He didn't know if he should shoot himself or pat himself on the back. Either way, he was a father of three kids. That was impossible! Two of them coming from Suoh and one from a mysterious woman.

Hearing another message icon, he checked it once more and grew furious.

Dear Gamer,

Due to your last PvP battle, the game has undergone a severe repair from your reckless behavior. Combined with the virus, the other Gamer has injected into your system. You will no longer be able to use your Gold-power system. Some skills that are detrimental to your health and survival. Your dungeon, skill-sets, and leveling systems have also changed.

Thank you for the cooperation. Have a nice day.

Russell punched a wall, which surprised the poor guy behind. "Fuck! that guy got me in a checkmate!" Russell yelled.

He won the fight, but he lost the war! He didn't think that the poison would be this severe! He lost way more than he expected. Checking the changes, he first went to his shop, but nothing changed. But it locked some of his weapons. Next were his stats, and the sight surprised him.

Username: Russell Redgrave/ Kaioh Redgrave

Stats:

LVL:630

HP:2160

STR:1447

DEF:1105

AGI:1409

LUCK:?

Gold: 900, 090

Well, that's not good, not good at all, a lot of his hard-earned effort to the fricking dumpster! Checking his skills, he prayed that some of his skills were still intact. Hey, he can see his level now. Is that good?

Skill Sets:

Observe/ Observe Thousand Imagery

Anomaly

Eternal Arms

KI Manipulation

Sorcerer

After checking his skills, saw one important skill was missing. "No..." He whispered, not seeing something approaching through the window. He turned and saw a...wrecking ball?

The ball then smashed right through the glass and into him. Yep, his bad luck was back, and boy, was this going to be a long day.

"My wallet!"

"My car!"

"My ring!"

"My cabbages!"

"Oh, fuck me..." Russell thought.

Say no more.

"Is that Zarbon?"

"Oh god, I miss your bad luck!" Silver yelled while laughing on his back.

"This is not funny!" Russell yelled while sporting a black eye. "You're right... it's hilarious!" Silver howled. "How did you give yourself a black eye?" Okita asked. That should be impossible, but it seems logic was not in a good mood.

"Not unless you're Russell. He slipped on a banana peel while holding a wretch glued to his hand." Bright said while laughing. Yeah, he saw how it happened, and he wished he recorded that whole thing. Wait, he can time travel!

Ereshkigal and Blaire giggled while Russell pouted at how everyone was enjoying his pain. Medusa and Karla were doing their best to ease it. Jack and Sakura chipped in, offering words of encouragement.

Yet it's not enough. The accident destroyed his image. He was pretty damn sure his awful luck was enjoying it too. He can picture the blasted thing looking down at him.

"DaMn, RiGHt!"

The TV glitches for a minute, before turning itself off again. Okay, that thing is just rubbing it in.

"I brought some tea," Medusa said, appearing with a tray of drinks. Silver begun counting down with a grin. Now, if anyone would say Medusa would trip despite being a heroic spirit, most would laugh and call them insane.

"5, 4, 3, 2... 1." Silver whispered.

On cue, the gorgon trips out of nothing, sending the steaming liquid straight to Russell's face.

"MY EYES!" Russell ran straight for the sink, all while tripping and colliding with every obstacle. "Bloody thing took my eyes!"

Silver was dying in laughter. He almost missed the Absolute Zero, but this was way too entertaining. He stopped only to burst on the floor with laughter when his friend came out.

He lost his eyebrows.

"Stop, I can't breathe." The fool pleaded. Thankfully, the Ring of Salazar was already fixing his hair problem. What kind of drink did Medusa buy?

Russell, while miffed about his hair loss, wondered what happened with Felsong.

Felsong groaned as he sat up, seething in pain. He looked down and saw his injury. Memories of his fight flashed through before he slammed his fist into a wall.

Eogan, who was reading a book, jumped out of his seat in surprise. "Ey, how's sleeping beauty?" Eighth said.

"Fuck off, man! I'm not in the mood."

Eogan shrugs, not bother by the disrespect of his junior. Felsong had only experienced PvP in four months. Even then, the numbers were in his favor.

The fight in the docks was the first time he went against another Gamer solo. Him being the youngest of the member of the council. It gave him an enormous ego only boosted by his unique power that even makes First hesitate.

Nerfing.

Felsong's true strength wasn't the virus killing his enemy, but what happens should they survive. The saying 'what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger' was hurled into the bin. Anyone who faces him and live suffers something worse than death.

Stats and skills would fall under the might of his virus. The virus would ensure that the opponent will not survive their next encounter.

First must have seen this threat and gave the kid a seat to ensure that he won't betray them.

"Eogan... tell me, what the hell are we looking? Don't give me, I can't tell you crap. I'm not risking my life just for a goose chase. I almost died! That guy just gained an insane power-up and changed into someone with a weird-ass staff!"

Eogan quickly grabs his shoulder. For once, Felsong had never been so scared in his life. Eogan was looking like he just saw his worst nightmare and got aroused.

"Have you ever heard of the Great Reset?"

"The worst event, every Gamer knows about it. Only 600 of our kind survived that event."

"Correct, but what you don't know is that it took one boss. One fucking, boss! To bring us down to that dangerous number."

Felsong was in disbelief. This was what they were all looking for!? Is this group even sane!?

"It took every faction head-on, and every time we kill it, things just went to shit." Eogan continued. "We were losing badly."

Could it be a Gamer? Or maybe some monster that gained Gamer powers.

"First, at his peak could only take a fourth of its HP, and that was when he worked with the rest of the top dogs."

"How did we win?"

"You can thank Seventh for that."

"Wait, what?"

"I don't know how he did it, but he killed the damn thing or at least bought us time."

Felsong's attention was now on this information. How could someone beat something that took billions of the greatest Gamers to make a dent in its HP? Did Seventh have a secret weapon, or was he just strong?

"What happened?"

"After he killed it, he went into hiding. I Don't know how he got under everyone's radar, but he hid himself for thirty years. He's our strategist for a good reason. Around that time, civil war erupted, everyone wanted a piece of territory."

"Somewhere that time frame, we picked up its signal, First was out dealing with another 1st rate Gamer. So we had to make due. We found it, and even though it was weak. It tore our group apart, then it escaped."

Felsong frowned. "What about Seventh?"

"He's been ignoring our calls. For the last ten years, the asshole didn't bother calling us. The only time he answers, he keeps saying, 'I'm busy.' "

Strange, what could make someone like him busy? Did Seventh he can take it on solo? Unlikely, there had to be more, but Eighth was being tight lip about it.

"Anyway, since he saw you, you're now on its list to be wary. I'll call the Mercenary faction, see if I can pull a favor. "

Eogan was about to leave until Felsong asked one more thing. "Can you tell me its name?"

"Zaias, The Seeker."

Okita sighed while looking at Russell, testing his magic, which kept blowing up. Okita hadn't told them the whole truth, but she was under the orders of her true master.

"One day, someone will call you. It might be intentional or chance, but if you see him carrying this blade. Take care of him for me. I made a lot of mistakes. I don't want him to be part of it. One more thing, don't tell him about me."

Okita would follow through, but she can't understand what made him so special. What did her master see in this boy?

"God damn it!" Russell yelled after his nine hundredth failure to fix a chair with a spell. "Why is it so hard now that I lost Absolute Zero!?"

"Master, did you find any suitable replacement?"

Russell sighed and showed her the screen. "So far, what I got are boot-leg versions. Let's see...no, no, no, eh close enough."

Russell sighed, still not great as his old skill, but he'll take it. Now for a test run. "Okita, Papa, food is ready," Sakura said.

Russell nodded before standing but then slipped, forcing him to do a split. "Oh! Mah tenders...I hate the multiverse..."

Once he recovered, he went to his meal. "Oh! Silver, can I ask you some Ishtar posters. I need them for Gilgamesh."

Russell takes a sip with his soup while the rest did a spit take. Luckily, the kids were on the other side. "Karla, come here, sit on my lap it's lonely."

"Russell, what the fuck!?" Bright asked.

"What?"

"YES!" Silver yelled in joy. "My baby boy is back!"

"Russell, are you okay?" Blaire said, troubled by Russell's sudden turn. Karla was a blushing mess, taking a seat on her fiance's lap. Anyone could see the steam coming out.

"Master, I think you rest some more."

"Guys, why are you acting like I just grew a second head?"

"Russell, you've never asked Karla about having kids! You don't even invite Karla to eat with you on your lap." Blaire said.

"Oh, yeah... wait, did that mean my emotion suppression skill altered my personality?"

"Emotion suppression... it seems this 'skill' didn't alter but dampened your emotions," Ereshkigal said.

"Well, it said it would keep my emotions under control to keep my mental health safe. I guess it also stopped me from being too indulgent."

Blaire felt like she was talking to a different person. Russell was never this talkative. Still, if it's true, then it meant she didn't know Russell that well.

Russell seemed to have noticed it and politely asked Karla if she can give him a minute. "Blaire, I want you to know the Russell you knew, and the one here is the same. The only difference is I'm more open to what I think."

"It's just having all those suppressed emotions can't be good. You might go insane."

Okita nodded, followed by Medusa. "Indeed, it's a miracle your still sane after that ordeal," Okita said. "Even I release what I feel. Otherwise, it will get in the way."

"You're right, but the skill ensures that downside doesn't happen, hence why I can still get angry but dialed down, anyway, enough of the nasty stuff. Karla, let's head out. I haven't taken you out on a date, have I?"

Karla beamed before running into her room. Russell smiled before blinking at the drink. "Silver, isn't that Gilgamesh's youth potion?"

The trickster recognized it and laughs. "Oh yeah, I was messing around with it. Now that thing turns anyone who drinks it into an adult."

...

Russell quickly bolts off and runs to the door. "Karla! Karla!" No answer, only the sound of struggle and pain. In a panic, Russell kicks the door off its hinges.

"Karla!" The beast, however, stopped upon the site. Karla was fine but what shocked him was the Karla was now in her early '20s.

"Russell, can you help?" Karla stopped. "I can't... why are you looking at me like that?"

Her fiance can only point to the mirror, and the succubus followed. She gasped.

She slightly resembled her mother. Her breast seems to have gained size too.

"What happened?" She asked. "You drank a potion," Russell said, unable to take his eyes off her. Hot damn, his hormones just went through the roof.

He quickly brings out some clothes in his shop items. He began picking out some clothes for the young woman to wear. "Here, I'll be outside." He rushed outside, where his mischievous friend was waiting.

"Well?"

"She's fine. I think the potion just aged her a few years."

" Not that! I'm asking you if you're planning on doing it with her?"

"I guess? I don't know."

"Well, just make sure you're not taking it back. Karla is a nice girl despite her craziness. Don't break her heart, bro."

Russell nodded. "Hey, Silver, thanks." The trickster gave a confused look. "For what?"

"For keeping them safe. Honestly, we might have died if you weren't here."

"That's what friends are. Now show your girl a wonderful date."

The two gave a fist bump, the fool smiles, and went back into the room. Russell looked at his inventory and changed for something punkish style, and changed his hairs to complete the look.

Karla came out later and giggled at her fiance. "So, are you ready?" He asked.

"Always."

Russell grinned before taking her hand.

Somewhere in Fuyuki, Eogan can be seen drinking tea while reading a book. Dressed as an investor, the eighth circle was waiting for his contact.

"Mr.E?"

"Ah Jimmy, you're here, have a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No thanks. Why did you call me?"

"I want you to kill someone. Another Gamer."

"Can't you do that yourself?"

"I could, but I'm quite busy, so I have to find someone suitable for this."

"Payment?"

Eogan waved his arm before a holographic screen appeared and tossed it to 'Jimmy' the mercenary gained a confused look upon reading it.

"this much for one guy? What did he do, stole your waifu?"

"Hardly, your target was able to beat our youngest and recent Circle. It's only fair I give you that much."

'Jimmy' frowned the mercenary, and his guild knew of the Circle, one of the oldest organizations that survive the Great Reset. He heard becoming a high-ranking member was no joke. If someone was able to beat one of them, then it meant they were skilled.

"What are my chances of winning?"

"Very high."

'Jimmy' grinned and then left.

"Whee!" Karla raised her hands as they began dropping fast. Russell grinned until he spotted a green bile. Using his friend's signature move, the young man opens a portal.

"Keep it together, Russell."

"That was fun! What's next?"

Russell smiles and took her to the arcade, winning her a plushie, then to the food stall, to a movie, finally a picture booth.

The young man never thought he would be wearing a marriage tux. "Please wait here, sir."

Seeing nothing else, he waited before using his Observe as a sonar. No traps or anyone following them so far. Hearing the door opened, he turns and almost dropped his jaw.

Karla was gorgeous in her wedding gown. Damn Ohma, you're one lucky bastard! Does this mean his luck is starting to turn? If so, keep it coming!

Just don't give him a harem, he still hasn't read that manual on 'how to keep the harem happy.'

Feeling a tug on his arm, Russell turned and saw Karla hugging his arm.

"It's so beautiful."

"I know."

"Hey, Russell."

"Yes?"

"How many kids do you want?"

Karla's question had been one of the many he'd avoided, but with Emotion Suppression skill gone, nothing was able to stop him anymore.

As corny and cheezy as it was, he gently his forehead onto her's and whispered.

"As many as you want."

Somehow this answer pleased her. It was a pleasant moment until one bird thought it was fun to take a dump onto his head.

Damn it!

Karla was a happy girl. She had gone on a date with her beloved. Seen the new side of him.

Russell was like a different person now, no more like, he was finally free from something.

Emotion Suppression

While useful, it turned her fiance into something inhuman. She had listened to it. A dangerous power, it oppressed the Ego of a person. He admitted it himself. He didn't feel joy in his brutality, but he didn't regret it either.

He can feel love, but he can't feel any attachment. Now that it's gone, what did it mean for him? Would he feel all those bottled emotions?

She wanted her lover to be the strongest, but she didn't want him to be a machine either. In a twisted way, she still wants someone who can still feel something. For now, she would enjoy this moment, and hopefully, that damn skill would never come back.

Up in the air, the couple didn't notice one person flying in the sky. "So that's the target."

"Hm... seems like E was right after all. He's still weak."

A predatory grin appeared on his face as he quickly chases after them.

He wanted to use Observe, but it might alert them. So he had to go old school for this one.

It should be easy, while not powerful, he had fought numerous PvP, and according to Mr.E, the target had just recently learned PvP. Thus he has nothing to worry about.

Easier said than done.

Fighting a Modder requires wits and planning. However, with the virus in his system, this meant they were on equal footing.

"Sorry, kid, nothing personal." He muttered.

Why the hell did he feel like he's in for a surprise?

A/N: Phew done! Sorry for the delay folks, life happened. My schedule is a mess right now. I only have a small amount of time for myself, so progress in my story is slow.

As always, thanks for supporting me. Have a nice day~