Bab 1: Prologue: Ashborn
Ashborn Abraham Josef
Your run-of-the-mill average guy. 24 years old. Lives in Las Vegas. Well, what can he do, he was born and raised here. Well, his mother... well let's not ask what she did for a night job but, being a single mother and raising a child wasn't easy. But she did her best, and she was the best mother to her son Ashborn could ever ask for. He never saw his father but he never despised him. Not even for one bit. He was even little thankful that that person let him come into this world.
If one thing his mother did best, it was to make sure the "sin city" don't corrupt her son. No one knows how she did it or why even bothered to do it. If any of her coworker or customer would ask her, she always said with a smile, "It is not our birth that defines who we are, but our choices. Who said that son of whore can't grow up to be a splendid human, a filial son, a loving husband and a caring father." Well, it is said that she was a nun in her early life and due to some misfortune she ended up where she was, but never abandoned her faith. Well, one can see from her naming sense she was really pious and devoted and expected her son would find the truth too one day.
Well, when Ashborn was indeed a splendid human and a filial son. In her last days, his mother suffered a rare disease and was bedridden due to paralysis for 2 years before passing away. He was 17 at that time and just finished high school, but instead of being a rebellious teenager, he took care of his sick mother for that 2 years relentlessly while doing part-time jobs. Well they did had some savings and they went by somehow. He would bathe her, feed her, on a wheelchair take her out for walks at afternoon. Speak with her until she fell asleep. Just before she passed away, she said with tears, "Ashborn my son. I am sorry. I am not the mother that a son like you deserve. Due to me, you always have been scorned and heard unpleasant words and never got to meet your father. Maybe they are the punishment from God on me due to all the mistake I did in the past. But they are not punishments on you as you are innocent. Always remember that clearly. As your mother, I pray for you that by the blessing of The God, you shall find your salvation." Saying such words she passed away as Ashborn silently released tears. Surely, losing a loving mother is the biggest sorrow of any man's life.
After that, with the remaining money, he went to an average college, got an average degree in physical education. But surprising everyone, he returned to Vegas. By the way, he couldn't get in a single relationship. Mostly because, after experiencing his mother's unconditional love, most of the girl felt superficial to him. He wanted to find a genuine woman and marry her. But his future does look bleak in that prospect considering where he lives.
After getting a day job, his average work-life began. But say the least he did make himself useful for the society though. He worked as a physical instructor at a gym. In his off time, he often joined voluntary charity works in different cities, sometimes under churches, sometimes under mosques, sometimes with atheists. He didn't have any religious bias as he believed if there is only one true God, he must reward all good deeds and good persons equally. And if there isn't... well, he couldn't believe it as some part of his soul kept screaming otherwise. One can call it a gut feeling, which never failed him once in his life.
Well, he did make some weird hobby though... First of them, Reading Anime and Manga. Second, he would visit high bridges in the middle of the night to stop suicidal people from committing suicide. He would stop them, counsel them and give them hope in life. So far, he had saved 15 people in his college life. 5 of them happily married. Two of them even has kids. 3 of them even started their own business and running pretty good. Others are also back in life from the deep abyss of depression. (Talk no Jutsu... Here I come... muahahaha)
Last of them would be, visit bars. Not to drink, but to save drunken damsels from humiliations who don't realize what they are doing and drunk lost causes who are solely drinking away their life in sorrow. If he finds such a girl and boy, he would rescue them, give the assailants a few punches and kicks and drop them at a hotel room so that they can sober up. As for lost causes... he would just try to befriend them to pull them from alcohol. So far, he had the most troubles in this area.
Today is such a day where after instructing the evening session at the gym he works at downtown, he first completes his dinner and casually went ahead towards the centre of the city of the damned. He parked his car and went into a middle-class bar, which is very rare in the city. Not that he doesn't want to go to a high-class bar, he simply doesn't have the qualification to enter one in normal circumstances.
He entered and took sit at the corner. A bar-maid wearing quite the revealing outfit came towards her table and talked with acquaintance and coquettishness while giving a wink,
-Oh my dear Ash, it's been a while I see you around here honey. Have you forgotten about this sorrowful sister of yours already? You know, you could always come by my apartment to have a drinking party in my off-day. Max only returns once a month from his school. This lonely maiden's heart feels empty you know.
-You know, I don't drink. So, how is Max doing? Knowing that kid, he probably hates me now.
Ashborn answered releasing a sigh. This barmaid Priscilla is his sister like figure and daughter of his mother's coworker. When she was 16, she used to live a delinquent life and made the mistake of getting pregnant. After giving birth to her son Maxmillian, with help of Ashborn's mother she got this barmaid job and living with her son ever since. Recently she sent her son to a boarding school. As for why her son wasn't given to foster care, that's a mystery.
-Actually no. He is pretty happy. Thanks to you, he is not a total lost cause I guess. And you could at least play along with me for a minute you know.
Dropping her coquettish facade, she sat across him and asked,
-When are you getting a girlfriend Ash? With your ripped body and good heart, even though your face is average, you should be able to find a decent girlfriend. At this rate, I fear you are going to become a supreme sorcerer due to being virgin until 40. (A.N: You have no idea, Sister.)
-Well, thanks for reminding me about my average face, sister. Give me the usual while I wait for some lost cause to show up.
-You are still at it. huh... When I look at you, I am forced to believe there is still humanity left in this world. Do what you like but someday this might get you heartbroken. If not by a woman, then by a betrayal of a man.
-If someone betrays me, that means he or she wasn't worthy of my trust. What would I lose from it?
Ashborn said with a small chuckle.
-Well, if you really don't have much to do with your life, then go ahead. There's a lady comes here every late afternoon, after losing all her money in the casino, and drink until midnight. Until she cannot even lift her head anymore.
-Ow, hasn't anyone molested her yet?
-Well, she does come with an assistant and she takes that lady away at the end. So, no accident happened yet.
Shaking her head, the barmaid Priscilia shook her head went up saying, "One carbonated lemonade, coming up."
Ashborn shook his head. Life is too precious and too short to drink away. He also clearly understood this sister Priscila of him clearly harbours feelings for him. But he only sees her as a sister as they grew up together. And he doesn't see changing that anytime soon.
After a minute Priscila carried a glass of lemonade and put it in front of Ashborn. He handed her 10 bills of 100$ and said, "Keep the change." Saying that he continued to seep the drink with leisure. Priscila just sighed and kept it at that. She clearly knows that this is his way of helping her. Shaking her head mildly she left to tend others.
By the time, Ashborn half completed the juice, a blond woman in her mid-thirties with gigantic melons at the front and enormous cushions at her back entered the bar. She wore a 'haori'?! Underneath the haori, a kimono style sleeveless blouse which was held by a large dark greyish obi matching her pants. The Japanese style dress was a sharp contrast to her western blonde hair. A regal aura was emitting from her. But the total package was screaming of someone, or more precisely something he knew. Tsunade Senju. If she was a cosplayer, then thumbs up. She really looks like the real-life incarnation of Tsunade Senju. Tailing her, a flat-chested woman holding a pig entered nervously saying in Japanese, "Tsunade sama, please have restraints. We already lost 500,000$ today. If you get into a drinking frenzy due to some arrogant prick angering you...". But the lady who was called Tsunade just simply gave her a pissed off glare to shut her up.
[Okay, this is way beyond cosplay. They are even calling each other with that fictional character's name. What in name of Lord is wrong with them?], Ashborn thought. How did he understand Japanese? He took it as a foreign language in college for making up extra credits and also ANIME as he is a member of the "Subbed cult". If there are two things in the world that he loathed, one would be "to knowingly sin", and another would-be "the dubbed cult".
So, drinking marathon of the lady called Tsunade began. She was so alcoholic that it even scared a man who grew up in Vegas and had seen his fair share of alcoholic men and women. Alas, he didn't know yet that she was the real deal and due to her chakra enhanced physique, she had a hard time getting drunk with this earth's strongest wines. So, after midnight, at last when she collapsed the girl with her easily carried her away with her. As it was clear that she was pissed off about something, he didn't get close, as his gut feeling said to him, going there now would only result in catastrophe for him. It might sound absurd as those are just two women, he believed his gut feeling as it let him evade disasters a lot of times.
And he was also sure, this woman has a very broken, sorrowful and depressed heart and this was the woman Priscila talked about. But he would get acquainted with her next time when her mood wasn't so sour.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone