Thanos didn't want to be a villain.

After Kratos and his son emerged from the World Tree, Lincoln also returned.

“Lincoln!” Atreus was even happier. If the atmosphere hadn’t been so awkward, he definitely would have hugged him.

Although Lincoln spoke strangely, he was still kind to the family, and Atreus missed him quite a bit after being away for so many days.

Then Atreus looked at the pile of things Lincoln was carrying with some oddity.

"what is this?"

Lincoln put his things down regarding Atreus's question.

"You've got everything sorted out? Just one last push before heading to Jotunheim?"

Lincoln was asking Kratos.

Kratos wasn't sure why Lincoln knew so much about their affairs, but trusting him, he pondered for a moment and then nodded.

"That's good. It won't make a difference if it takes a little more time, right? How about we rest for a day before going? Let Atreus learn something too." Lincoln found a spot, cleared out an empty space, and put down the game console he was holding.

Kratos thought about it and realized that it wouldn't hurt to take another scare. It would be good to rest for a while before setting off.

So they agreed with Lincoln and lit a campfire on the spot. It was getting late, and they should prepare a meal.

"Let's rest for a while or go home. Anyway, we've opened the portal, so we can come back anytime." After lighting the campfire, Kratos didn't check what Lincoln and the others were doing, but instead gave Atreus some instructions.

Atreus nodded, indicating that he understood, and then looked curiously at what Lincoln was fiddling with.

Kratos saw this but said nothing. He left Mimir's head behind, then silently picked up his axe and walked into the mountains behind him.

They've just come out of the gate representing Jotunheim. Behind the gate is a forest; there should be some food there. If not, they'll have to go fishing.

Fortunately, there were plenty of fish in the lake, and it was easy to catch quite a few.

Not long after he left, Dio came looking for him.

"What's wrong?" Upon seeing Dio, Kratos inexplicably felt that the other party had some ulterior motive for approaching them.

“I’m just here to help out, and by the way, what are your plans?” Dio asked, following behind Kratos.

"Intend?"

"That's right, your goal is to reach the highest peak of the Nine Realms, so what happens after that?"

Kratos paused for a moment, then frowned slightly: "Watching Atreus grow up."

"that's it?"

"..."

Seeing Kratos's gaze gradually turn hostile, Dio explained, "You should know my origins, right?"

Kratos nodded.

Despite his limited education, Kratos understood the concept of another world, particularly the identities of Lincoln and Dio as visitors from that other world.

To be precise, he can also be considered a visitor from another world.

If you were walking down the street and suddenly found yourself surrounded by a pack of wolves and dragged into the courtyard, anyone would be furious.

But Kratos was still very happy, because without the pack of wolves he wouldn't have met his wife Faye, nor would he have had a son.

“My world is also facing a major crisis, so I’m looking for help everywhere. I have an army, but top-tier combat power is scarce, so I’ve started searching for it,” Dio explained.

At this point, Kratos realized that they had come to recruit him.

However, Kratos has developed some PTSD about working for others because of his experience of being used as a front by the Greek gods and being played like a fool for so many years.

Without even thinking, I refused outright.

Dio wasn't surprised. Kratos certainly wouldn't like working for someone else now. Anyway, there's still plenty of time. He can wait until he finishes the God of War 5 storyline and DLC before coming to work for someone else.

When Dio and Kratos returned, they saw Lincoln and Atreus sitting on the ground playing a game called God of War 3.

As luck would have it, it's right at the beginning of God of War 3, where Kratos is on Gaia, holding the Sword of Olympus and roaring to the sky.

Kratos, who had just returned, was completely numb.

How come I heard that familiar voice as soon as I went out?

It looked even more numb.

Kratos dropped everything he was holding to the ground.

"Yes, yes, that's it, but remember to avoid damage."

"This is still a tutorial level, so play aggressively!"

Kratos watched Atreus control his younger self and his mind went completely blank!

Dio emerged from behind, ignoring the bewildered Kratos, and shouted at Lincoln, "Is the game progressing this fast? I remember I only played for a few hours at most, and I've already played through so much of the story?"

“No, I mostly used video explanations for the earlier parts of the story. The real story starts from the Chains of Olympus, but this kid is controlling it.” Lincoln patted Atreus on the shoulder and said.

"But don't let his skill with the bow fool you, he's actually terrible at games. Completing the Chains of Olympus in five hours is my absolute limit!"

"Have I been walking for five hours?" Dio asked, looking at the weather, which hadn't changed much.

"Six hours, right? The days and nights in Midgard seem to be passing very strangely; a day has been extended." Lincoln thought for a moment and continued, "It's as if Odin, who was chasing the sun and moon, has been imprisoned, making the days and nights very long."

"Is that so?" Dio thought for a moment, not knowing much about these things.

“That should be true. We’ve been in the Marvel universe for about a week, while Atreus said they’ve only been there for less than three days, and today is the third day!” Lincoln said.

Dio remained silent, while Lincoln looked at the stunned Kratos.

Lincoln stepped forward: "Didn't I tell you I'm from another world?"

Kratos may not have recovered yet, and is currently just silent.

“In my world, everything you experienced was written into a book, and then, through some means, turned into a game,” Lincoln explained to Kratos.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lincoln heard Kratos's breathing quicken.

"Well, I don't know what to say, but a lot of people like you."

After Lincoln finished speaking, he led Kratos, who was still not moving, to Atreus's side.

"You two have a good talk, father and son. Dio and I will take care of the meal."

Kratos sat stiffly beside Atreus.

Atreus froze, stopping what he was doing.

“Father.” Atreus pursed his lips, unsure of what to say.

“Child,” Kratos sighed, “Ask me any questions you may have, and I will tell you everything.”

Atreus's gaze was complex, and his eyes were red-rimmed.

But when he spoke, he laughed and said, "Father, is this really what it's like to be a god?"

"The child killed his father, and the family was in chaos..." In Lincoln Cop's history of Greek mythology, Atreus learned how Zeus came to power.

Furthermore, his own father was now sitting right in front of him, and the game's plot had progressed to the point where he would find out after storming Mount Olympus.

My father has already killed my grandfather with his own hands.

"If God is really like that, then I'd rather not have this identity."

Kratos silently placed his hand on Atreus's shoulder.

That's certainly true of Greek mythology.

One after another, the gods were overthrown and ruled by their own sons. But he did not take the throne; instead, he spread hope throughout the world.

"No, child, absolutely not!" Kratos suddenly became agitated.

“My father was a bastard, or rather, his father was a bastard,” Kratos said, kneeling down and grabbing Atreus’s shoulders.

"We will never do that, I swear!"

"I will change. I won't lose my temper anymore, and I will calm down!"

"Me too...me too..."

Kratos began to ramble incoherently, and Atreus, looking at his flustered father, said softly, "We all need to change, for you, for me, and also for my sister."

!!!

Atreus's words brought Kratos back to his senses, and he stared at him blankly.

Kratos opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"...Why does this game reveal everything to the public?"

After holding it in for a long time, Kratos finally uttered those words.

It was because of this sentence that Kratos and Atreus were restored to their original state, and the father and son embraced each other.

Then they started playing again.

distance.

"Is Kratos still the same person?" Dio sat by the campfire roasting meat, looking in the direction of Kratos and his son.

As if remembering something, Dio looked at Lincoln: "By the way, you just said that you've been in contact with the Kratos family for longer than we have?"

"Five days?"

Lincoln looked embarrassed and glanced to the side.

I think it's five months!

"Anyone who's played the game knows Kratos's personality. Could he really say something like that?!"