Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Chapter 9 - Equality
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A chilling silence, like a bucket of cold water thrown over a roaring fire, filled the annex. No one understood my desperate defiance.
“…Pfft.”
And then, Homunculus laughed, and the tension in the room ratcheted up another notch.
Once the highest-ranking individual laughed, everyone else could join in.
Mocking a male, beaten and broken yet still defiant, was a favorite pastime for the civilized inhabitants of Aaptukemen.
“Oh, really? Then get up.”
Thud-
Homunculus tossed a black dagger at my feet.
A seemingly generous gesture,
But my arms and legs had been severed,
And my remaining hand, mangled and bloody, could barely hold anything.
Still, I pushed myself up with my knees and gripped the dagger’s hilt with my teeth, my hand useless.
“Homunculus, there’s no need for you to… lower yourself…”
“No. Let him entertain us.”
I knew I had no chance of winning.
But,
If I was going to suffer, I might as well go down fighting.
Homunculus received her own jeweled, curved sword, striking an elegant pose,
While I, my body a mangled mess, prepared to fight.
“So, cornered like a rat, you finally show some spirit. Yes, groveling and begging suits your kind.”
Yes, of course.
That’s how she had always seen males, not as equals, but as objects to be exploited and oppressed.
“Well, I must admit… your unusual regenerative abilities are intriguing.”
I reconnected my right wrist, the severed limb knitting itself back together, fueled by Alraune’s power, drawing on my body’s energy and moisture.
But even with a reattached hand, I was no match for Homunculus. Even if she was older, the females on this planet were far stronger than me.
“Here I come.”
Slice-
Homunculus, like the other females, was swift and agile. I swung the black dagger, trying to defend myself, but she effortlessly dodged my attack, her body unscathed.
“What are you looking at?”
Thud-
Her blade found its mark, leaving a deep gash on my body.
“Gah…”
Blood trickled down my skin. Pain and rage warred within me, threatening to overwhelm my senses.
“Die! Die!”
I swung the dagger wildly, my attacks clumsy and desperate, hitting nothing but air.
If only she would get careless, if only she would show a moment of weakness-
Thwack!
But Homunculus, enjoying her little game, her sadistic amusement evident in her eyes, kicked me in the stomach. My wild, desperate attacks had left me vulnerable.
“Oof…”
I stumbled backward, spitting out blood and bile. My grip on the dagger loosened, my hand trembling.
“And you dared to defy me, to call yourself a savior? Tsk…”
Homunculus approached me, her expression mocking, then stepped on my hand, grinding her heel into my mangled fingers, crushing them.
“Aaaaagh!”
I tried to pull my hand away, but she wouldn't release me, her foot pressing down, the pain a clear and unmistakable message.
“This is the difference between you and me. Understand?”
“Ugggh…! Groan-!”
My fingers were mangled. It would have been less painful if they had been completely severed…
“Crying already?! And you pretended to be so strong! You’re no different from the other males! Pfft…”
Homunculus grabbed my hair, pulling my head back, forcing me to look at her, her triumph evident in her mocking smile. My face, contorted in pain, was her trophy.
“F-fuck… you… you cut off my limbs… and then you… you fucking coward…”
“Ahem!”
I spoke, my voice a defiant rasp, reminding her of the hollowness of her victory, and someone in the crowd coughed nervously.
“You… you coward… beating a defenseless male…”
“…You little shit.”
They were all afraid of her, so I had to speak up. It would only enrage her further, provoking a more violent response.
Slap-
Homunculus slapped me, her hand stinging against my cheek. She wasn’t angry enough to punch me yet.
“Say that again. What did you call me?”
“Cough-…”
My head rang with each blow, but I wouldn’t back down.
“Y-you… you were… afraid… so you… cut off my limbs… you… c-coward…”
It was a simple statement,
Something I had already said,
But it was the most effective way to provoke her.
Homunculus, who had challenged me to prove her superiority, couldn’t defend herself against this accusation.
If she reacted angrily, she would be admitting defeat, and if she ignored me, I would continue taunting her…
“…Very well. It seems tonight will be a long night. I will teach you a lesson.”
So, she resorted to violence. She would vent her frustration, her rage, by beating me, crushing me, inflicting pain.
Thud-
Homunculus grabbed my throat and threw me to the ground. Then, straddling my body, she began punching me repeatedly.
“You…! Insolent little male…!”
I couldn't defend myself. Trapped beneath her, I could only endure the blows, coughing and spitting blood.
“How dare you! Look at me with those eyes!”
Homunculus, her rage reaching its peak, her fists flying, her blows growing stronger, each one feeling like a bone breaking.
“I’ll tear you limb from limb! I’ll put a collar on you! I’ll make you the lowest, the filthiest whore in Aaptukemen! Do you understand?!”
But,
It wasn't just me who lost control when I was angry. She was the same.
Consumed by rage, she hadn't considered the possibility of retaliation.
So,
I infused my mangled right hand, the one she had crushed, with Alraune’s roots, turning them into makeshift bones,
And forced my fingers to curl around the dagger. The pain was excruciating, but I ignored it.
“I’ll throw you to my soldiers first, then I’ll cut off what’s left of your limbs and hang you in the marketplace! You can scream and beg for mercy, but I won’t show you any! You’re finished!”
I clenched my fist,
Preparing to strike.
No one expected me to fight back. I was already broken, my body a mangled mess.
“Guards! Prepare yourselves! I will personally reward those who distinguish themselves tonight! Your Majesty! You approve?! We must punish this insolent male and restore order!”
Homunculus’s face was flushed, her voice raised, her gaze fixed on His Majesty, who was still nervously chewing on his fingernails…
“B-but… that’s too much…”
But perhaps he had been moved by my defiance, my refusal to give up, because His Majesty hesitated, openly questioning Homunculus’s judgment.
And that was enough. I didn't expect much from him. He had survived by groveling and cowering.
But his hesitation, in this moment, only fueled Homunculus’s rage.
“What do you mean, too much?! Did you not see him insulting me?!”
“I-I saw it! But honestly, isn’t this enough…? We’ve already disregarded all traditions…”
Perhaps His Majesty, seeing me, limbless and broken yet still defiant, felt a twinge of shame.
He had survived by being subservient, just like I had,
But,
What inspired us, what made our hearts race, was defiance, the unwavering assertion of our will.
“Are you… inspired by this… diseased little shit? Do you want to play the hero? Then I can’t call you ‘Your Majesty’ anymore, can I? You’re just a puppet, nodding your head! Know your place! Both of you!”
And,
This small act of defiance, this spark of rebellion, came at a price.
[His] dagger, which I held in my hand, was already steeped in pain and suffering.
So, you fucking bitch.
“Di- di…”
We both, would die if this dagger reached our hearts.
“Dick…head.”
Crunch-
My muscles, fueled by adrenaline, moved with a surprising strength,
And the dagger, piercing through Homunculus’s left rib cage, found its mark.