The Second Adoption (3): Memories in the Darkness
There were memories that surfaced whenever she closed her eyes. It must have been hundreds of years ago by now.
They still rose vividly in her mind. That day—the supremely honorable moment when she had staked her life against the monster that had set the continent ablaze.
"Sacrifice... needed...!"
"You do it, ■■! There's no one else!"
"But... Captain! ■■ is..."
There were no regrets. It had been her own choice, after all. If it could save the world, she had thought, sacrificing this fleeting body of hers was a small price to pay.
...Now she knew. How arrogant and presumptuous that mindset had been.
'It was just empty bravado.'
If she had known that choice would plunge her into centuries of torment, that child would have thrashed desperately to escape. She wouldn't have let herself be consumed by the monster, brainwashed like some fool gripped by a worthless sense of duty.
But it was too late to turn back. That child had chosen to offer her body to suppress the monster, and now she was the monster herself.
Up until she was selected for the God-Slaying Corps—tasked with stopping the beast that ravaged the entire Eastern Continent—she must have been brimming with passion.
But then ten years passed, then a hundred. And as nearly a thousand years flowed by...
'Ah.'
Now, she had no choice but to admit it. The choice she had made that day had been bravado, false courage, a sacrifice forced upon her.
The other members of the God-Slaying Corps, affiliated with prestigious clans and renowned sects, must have been afraid. So they had sought a scapegoat. To them, ■■ must have been the perfect comrade to discard.
An orphan with no family. And yet, the core of the subjugation forces, having reached the Realm of Transformation. The perfect sacrifice, one who wouldn't draw blame even if thrown away.
'I resent them. Those who pushed me into the pit of fire, and this foolish me who pretended ignorance and volunteered because I couldn't stand against them. I, the great one...'
What use was regret now? She had already become the Monstrous Strength Chaos God, and those who had shoved her toward that fate had long returned to dust.
Looking back on the past only dredged up sticky, suffocating darkness. Better to forget it.
Forget, bury, suppress. Focus only on the task at hand in this moment. That was the right way.
After all, she was the one controlling the Monstrous Strength Chaos God. If she ever lost herself, the ancient monster from ages past would awaken once more.
She had to prevent that calamity's return, no matter what. Even if her life had been nothing but wandering on the fringes, it was her duty as a former member of the God-Slaying Corps.
Thus, she swallowed her emotions. Deceived herself. Immersed herself solely in duty.
And then.
'Why... why must I do this?'
After nearly a millennium, she could no longer cling to that steadfast conviction.
What had twisted her into this? Why must she bear this wretched duty?
It wasn't ten years, or a hundred. A thousand years.
No matter how righteous a girl's convictions, no matter how fortified her mind by the Realm of Transformation, that was more than enough time to shatter her utterly.
...Hadn't she endured plenty by now? Unbidden, the thought crept into the girl's mind.
A thousand years. She had suppressed the Monstrous Strength Chaos God through all that time. All for that obsessive mission to protect the world.
Her mind had crumbled countless times. Torn to shreds over and over, her soul a mangled wreck—she had dragged it here by sheer force of will.
'I've done enough.'
She had guarded for a thousand years. Endured for a thousand years.
Even if the God-Slaying Corps of that era returned, they couldn't condemn her now for abandoning those ancient beliefs.
No, they could condemn her if they wanted. She wouldn't care.
Instead, she planned to devour those brazen ghosts from her past who dared appear before her. Of course, the dead couldn't return to life.
But she was fortunate. Plenty of their descendants and bloodlines still lingered in this world.
Wouldn't it be poetic for a hero from a thousand years ago to be reborn as the nightmare of the present age?
"Ungrateful wretches who know no grace."
"They deserve death."
"Look at them, praising only their ancestors from a thousand years ago, oblivious to your suffering."
At some point, voices had begun to whisper. Likely the lingering will of the Monstrous Strength Chaos God.
Born when that innocent girl was offered as a sacrifice to seal the mindless beast. Until now, suppressed by the girl who had not forsaken her goodness.
The voices commanded: Kill them. Slay the vermin who forgot your sacrifice.
"Old and young alike—they're all the same."
"Rip apart every last bloodline that remembers those who kicked you into this pit of despair."
"Chew their flesh, crack open their insolent skulls, and feed the brains to our kin."
"Scatter their bones in the shrines where those past heroes slumber. They'll rejoice."
"Don't you deserve it? After enduring a thousand years of agony, even the gods in heaven have no right to judge you."
The girl was inevitably consumed by those words. Seduced, if you will. To her, who had borne a millennium of suffering, they were honey-sweet whispers.
"Yes, let's end the world. Burn all life, trample it underfoot, overwhelm it with our kin. Commit suicide with this filthy world."
Her mind knew how terrifying that was. Hero or villain, any human must reject it. Not even listen.
But...
'...That might not be a bad ending.'
The girl had long transcended the bounds of humanity. The child who became a living sacrifice to seal the monster had now become the Monstrous Strength Chaos God itself.
So, what reason did she have to cling to the righteous path of humans?
Deep in fathomless slumber, the girl convinced herself. Clung to justifications.
This world was hers to protect. Its thousand years belonged to her.
What was wrong with destroying with her own hands the world she had guarded?
'Haha.'
At least those who had enjoyed the thousand years of peace she created couldn't complain.
As the girl thought this and prepared to discard the last fragment of her 'hero' self—
[Grrr.]
'...'
The White Tiger let out a low growl. Loyal kin serving the two Monstrous Strength Chaos Gods, claiming the share of the other Four Guardian Beasts slain by the God-Slaying Corps a millennium ago.
The girl understood the White Tiger's intent. Their souls were bound by contract.
'Intruder.'
Someone had dirtied her territory. Ignoring even the formations set up for courtesy's sake.
This unwelcome guest had snapped her eyes open just before the Monstrous Strength Chaos God's lingering will fully consumed her.
-Tch...
Before awakening, she heard what sounded like the will's tongue-click of regret.
*****
"Can't we at least talk? That's too much. From your position, it's been centuries since you last met another human."
Whoosh—!
Boom!!
The spot where I stood caved in like dynamite had exploded under the White Tiger's swipe. Easily three meters deep at a glance. If I'd stayed there without aura, I'd have been turned into well-pressed jerky or rat meat for sure.
Of course, I had no intention of becoming a snack for this Four Guardian Beast.
I swiftly dodged, cloaked my blade in sword energy, and gauged the distance to the White Tiger.
'Any closer, and I'm dead.'
It watched me with a seemingly languid expression, but its eyes burned fiercely. Rush in sword drawn, and those razor claws would shred me.
A befitting title: apocalyptic monster, beyond disaster or extinction class. Even an 8th Hierarchy would need to risk their life to barely take it down.
In other words, not impossible for an 8th Hierarchy, but...
'The real threat is elsewhere.'
I couldn't mistake it. The White Tiger was just the Monstrous Strength Chaos God's minion, limb.
The true body—the silver-haired girl—had shown hostility toward me and ordered the attack.
Slash—!
I cleaved a house-sized boulder the White Tiger casually flung, forcing a smile as I kept trying to talk to her.
"Say something, won't you? In these mountains, there can't have been another intelligent being to chat with. Seeing a fellow human after so long would have thrilled me."
"...Do I look like a 'fellow human' to you? Your eyes must not be very sharp, then."
"Oh."
Good, a response. She seemed angry at my 'second daughter' proposal, but at least she wouldn't stonewall me completely. A relief for me.
Persuasion or whatever, dialogue had to happen first.
[Grrr.]
"Ah, you, step back a bit. I need to have a serious talk with your master."
So, I needed to peel off this oblivious white tiger that kept lunging playfully.
Compared to my casual words, my grip tightened seriously on the hilt. Veins bulged on my hand, eyes tinting gray with aura.
"Hoo."
With a flash of piercing gaze, I exhaled aura-laced breath sharply.
-Sword Ring.
[...!]
Craaaack!!
Before the White Tiger could react, I slammed the swiftly formed technique into its white-furred belly. The gray aura on my sword morphed into a massive oval ring, hurling it far away.
"...Tough body, huh."
But I could only chuckle wryly. City walls crumbled like tofu before this move, yet the giant cat—no, tiger—only had dilated pupils, no visible wounds.
[Whine, grr, kyarr...]
Thankfully, not unscathed—its front paw trembled, struggling to rise. Like a dump truck nicked by a baseball. Dented surface, but no critical damage.
To subjugate that, I'd need to go all out. Me too.
"Hm."
For now, sidelining the White Tiger—not my main goal—would do.
I slung the faintly gray-glowing blade over my shoulder and turned to the girl.
Impressed by one-shotting her loyal servant? Her previously sour expression shifted to mild interest. Eyebrow twitch, bushy tail swaying oddly.
Anyway, she fixed her golden eyes on me and spoke.
"Well, you're quite strong for a human. The Realm of Transformation I achieved long ago must pale compared to you."
"Thanks for the praise. An honor."
I smirked and shot back.
"To answer your earlier question: yes, you look human to me."
My honest truth, but it didn't land well. Her already chilly gaze turned icier; tail stiffened.
"You mean that sincerely? My alien appearance doesn't register in your eyes?"
"Well, the ears and tail are a bit unusual."
"... "
I replied flatly. She couldn't keep composed either. Her face twisted like 'What’s wrong with this guy's head?'
I added with a chuckle.
"You know, you've lived only in the Eastern Continent since ancient times, so maybe not—but this world has more 'humans' with distinctive looks than you'd think. Beast ears are tame."
"...What?"
No lie there. The Southern Continent crawled with demi-humans: elves, dwarves, lizardmen, gnomes, even rare fairies.
In a fantasy world brimming with swords and magic, what was a beastkin?
No pretense. I genuinely saw the girl before me as human, like me.
I added calmly.
"Even if you're possessed by the Monstrous Strength Chaos God."
"... "
"Since you started as an ordinary human girl, I won't see you as a 'monster'."
Perhaps those words touched her reverse scale.
Fwoosh—!
The atmosphere shifted instantly. From peacefully talkable to thick with killing intent. Dense, brutal malice even seasoned assassins couldn't mimic.
The killing aura only the Monstrous Strength Chaos God—once driving the continent to near-ruin—could emit. My survival instincts screamed to slit her throat now.
"...You know 'me'."
"... "
Not 'I, the great one', but 'me'. Not the Monstrous Strength Chaos God, but the girl who once sacrificed herself to stop it.
Of course I knew her. I wasn't a transmigrator who knew the original story for nothing.
I met her glaring yellow eyes evenly, ignoring the chill wrapping my body.
This wasn't mere intimidation. A beast's warning: one wrong move, and it'd rip out my heart.
Fear, in other words.
"...Is it just your past?"
But I pressed my blade's flat to my throat, deflecting that murderous gaze somehow.
If a mere warning silenced me, I wouldn't have come this far. My ambition to embrace world-ending disasters wasn't empty.
I met her killing intent with unyielding resolve and said flatly.
"I know what you plan to do in five years too."
"...!"
"Unable to die, unable even to end yourself due to tenacious vitality. You're planning to take the whole world as your companion in death."
The second disaster, Monstrous Strength Chaos God, leading hundreds of thousands of monsters to plunge the continent into war.
If the Blood Witch's goal was to spew resentment and hatred at the Empire...
This girl's before me was simpler: suicide.
The millennium-endured hero now craved death. Forsaking her innate goodness, corrupted, planning a grand continental suicide show.
I knew the agony that led to such extremes.
But as a transmigrator living in this world, world destruction was a future I had to prevent, consequences be damned.
"Don't. You don't truly want to destroy this world."
"...What...?"
I spoke to the Monstrous Strength Chaos God with pitying eyes; she erupted, veins bulging in rage.
"What do you know...? You, who knows nothing of my—my pain—dare to...!"
"I'll fix it for you."
"...Ha?"
Undaunted, I met her golden glare boldly. More serious than my half-joking adoption pitch—a real proposal.
A cursed life inheriting the Monstrous Strength Chaos God's power, denying even suicide.
So if she aimed to destroy the world...
The way to stop her was surprisingly simple.
"Might be tough now, but in five years—before you lead your monsters out. I'll kill you myself."
"... "
"Reasonable deal, no? No loss for you. Worst case, you're even."
If death was her blessing, I'd end that millennium curse personally.
Far surer than continental annihilation, from her view.
I proposed the deal with death as collateral. Sweet to a pitiful girl undying through ages.
But my true goal? Kept hidden for now.
I flashed a trustworthy smile and extended my hand.
"Just five years. If I fail by then, destroy the world as planned. Killing a promise-breaker is a bonus."
"...You... "
"What do you say? Will you be my temporary daughter?"