Rebirth: From Nothing

Chapter 21: The Mountain Pass

The walk to the mountain pass was a hot and humid mess. The stench of hundreds of men packed together on a hot day was comparable to the stench of the city. The trees were close to the side of the road, but few monsters emerged.

With nothing to do but think while marching slowly, back aching, I turn towards my thoughts. I bet Lucanus would be happy to talk to me, but I don't really care for conversations with him.

I've come to understand Lucanus a bit. He is the type of person that relentlessly forces kindness onto others. Only a little extroverted but is willing to carry a conversation for the sake of the group. He is fairly fragile, and sometimes changes speaking dialect in a weird way when around people.

I don't think Lucanus is the type of guy to join a war effort, even if he is trying to help people. He also shouldn't be desperate for money, he is a master in recovery magic, he should be able to get a job at any temple in the country. Well, this is just another mystery I've come across.

I've learned more Ozias. I've got no clue about his odd behavior towards me, nor that look always on his face. But he seems to keep mistresses at his side at most times, especially night. He also loves alcohol and expensive food too. He has artistic tastes but isn't pompous. He seems to lack any ego, letting insults flow in one ear and out the other.

The more I learn about him the more confused I get. Well, that's something I'll think through later.

Another interesting person on the base is the noblewoman that is often seen with Ozias. She isn't one of his women, she is actually the princess of the country. It seems that she was sent here to oversee the war effort and report to the king of her observations.

I don't think this is a good idea. It would be very easy for something awful to happen to her out here. She could be kidnapped or killed. I couldn't imagine sending Cassius to the frontlines of a war. Maybe nobility think differently than I do. I was a normal person in my old world after all.

Ah, my old world. I think about it less and less these days. I wonder why? No, I know. It's simply because my old world no longer holds relevance to me. I have converted most of my scientific knowledge into spell formulas that I cast in my head. I have no use for my economic knowledge. Even the philosophy I studied holds no value.

In my old world I thought like a coward. I got angry at the world when people hurt me. I got angry at the world because I was weak. I learned the reason in this world, it's the same reason cowardly villagers don't hate the soldiers who raid them. It's the reason that men curse God when another man burns down their village. It's because I was afraid of the people who hurt me.

The man I am now would not lie down and accept having my head shoved into a toilet, I wouldn't accept being bullied, I wouldn't accept being weak and unathletic. I would become strong, then destroy the people who hurt me.

I'm no longer that loser incel. Now I'm something more. I am climbing to the peak of humanity; I am strong physically and mentally. I kill the men who seek to hurt me, and if I want a woman, she will surely throw herself at me. Not that I'm interested in women at the moment. I am powerful.

The me I am now could kill the old me in seconds, and I would do it in a heartbeat. I am no longer merciful, no longer sensitive, no longer human.

The mountains are close. I never saw mountains in person, I skipped all my family's vacations. They are impressive, but that's it. The snow-capped peaks reach beyond the clouds, the foundations of stone are imposing. The sky is an orange hue, contrasting with the grey rock.

Trees line the base, a single path probably 25 men wide slowly ascends. We camp just before the base of this range. It is called the "Mons Progenitor".

"It's so beautiful." Lucanus says beside me. "Did you know, it was the Progenitor of Wisdom who forged this mountain range with magic? To delay the Progenitor of Evil's advance into this land, he formed a grand mountain range as a barrier."