Chapter 188
Chapter 188
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: Episode 61. Life Force (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dad—food.
The child he had given birth to in his heart called out to him. It was asking for food. Until recently, it had clung to him incessantly demanding meals, so he had to teach it about proper times and places. BM rolled up the long sleeve of his shirt that covered his wrist. Three or four times a day. Over the past three weeks of constant gnawing, his arm was now slow to heal, covered in dark red scars. The child lifted his shirt. The skin near his heart began to split vertically. A purple 'mouth' appeared. Because it was still young, it needed good food. There was no better sustenance than BM's blood and mana, sustained by the heart of the S+ grade monster, the 'Seven-Headed Troll'.
"Mister. Do we really have to dispose of it?"
"We do."
"Why?"
"I told you it's dangerous."
"I just don't get it. What's the problem with it?"
"Go home. Don't worry about it too much."
"It's just a kid."
"......"
"It's just a clueless little brat that doesn't know shit. So why kill it?"
"Did I not explain well enough?"
"No. I just... don't understand."
......
BM groaned lowly. Its teeth had sunk in. Four rows of shark-like sharp teeth tore through skin, muscle, and bone, bursting all of BM's blood vessels. Immediately after, the purple mass wriggled as it began absorbing the blood. There were no issues. It was something he did every day. It was a bit taxing, but with proper nutrition, it would be fine. More importantly, the child needed to eat well and grow strong.
"That one was different from the rat pups we saw back then, right...? Its life force didn't manifest in a weird way?"
"Right. That's why I had to watch it for so long."
"What were you watching for...?"
"Do you want to know? Why humanoid chimeras are dangerous."
"Ah...... Yeah."
"Then I'll tell you... Mana is the manifestation of will. All living things have their own 'will' to survive. But the will of primates—including humans, beastkin, and other humanoid races—holds a 'special power.' An extremely special. And very dangerous power. Do you know what it is?"
"No......"
"These species can see the unseen. Hear sounds they've never heard. Feel sensations they've never felt. They can imagine non-existent things as if they exist. They can assign symbols to incomprehensible concepts like the sun, day, night. The sun god. The chariot that pulls the sun to make day. The queen of the night. Things like that don't actually exist, but human will can conceive of them."
"......"
"Do you get what this is?"
Is it tasty? he asked. Yeah. The child smiled brightly in response. But today, it seemed to be sucking in a bit more than usual. Well, it was growing taller and its head was getting bigger, so it needed to eat more. BM stopped worrying. For now, he decided to give purely without calculation. This child was the son of his two friends. And now, his own son.
"No......"
"They write words. Draw pictures. Create music. Still don't know the name of this 'special power'?"
"......"
"It's the power that creates religions and nations. Now do you get it?"
"Creativity...?"
"Yes, you got it."
"......"
"That damn 'creativity' is what makes humanoid chimeras dangerous."
Taebaek. My son. When BM called, the child smiled brightly. Fatigue vanished. Over the past three months. Clearing over a dozen sealed S-grade or higher dungeons. BM had lost limbs. Sometimes his ears and nose were chewed off by monsters. He had despaired losing irreplaceable chimeras inside his body. But BM was fine.
As long as he could see this child's smile—
"Why? What's wrong with creativity...?"
"When creativity meets a chimera's unique life force, unimaginable things start happening."
"......"
"What kinds of things?"
"I don't know......"
"Think about what I said."
"Seeing what can't be seen. Hearing what can't be heard? Ah... fuck......"
But still, today it was taking a lot. So BM asked if it was really hungry. The child said yes. Then, absently, it murmured through its mouth, I miss Mom... BM's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. Lately, Taebaek had been saying things like that. Missing Dad and Mom. That Mom had red hair...
After Arandot met its end and they returned to Earth, BM found himself unexpectedly missing that world. He had wanted to escape it. Yet now he longed for it. So when he thought the child shared the same memories, overwhelming emotions surged within him unbidden.
Yeah. So what if it eats a little more? Better I starve than you go hungry. BM set aside thoughts that it was too much and happily stroked the child's head.
"Now do you get it?"
"......"
"That's not Taebaek."
Taebaek. Do you miss your dad too? BM asked, and the child replied. Yeah.
"It's just a separate humanoid chimera specimen."
"What proof...?"
"I watched it steadily for three weeks. The specimen had an obsessive will toward life force. I gathered surrounding information. It learned concepts of mom and dad from BM. Inferred their existence and realized it had parents too. It asked Morning Star about the concepts, gaining genetic knowledge."
"You're crazy...? You expect me to believe that......? It's just, it's just......"
"You still think it's a young human?"
"......"
"Yeoreum. Snap out of it. It's not human. And not young."
"......"
"You were fooled. No, it fooled even you."
Dad must've been handsome like me. BM laughed. Truth be told, that kid had been the handsomest at Taebaek Municipal Superhuman Elementary. Nearly 50 years ago. How envious he had been of his stylish friend who was popular with girls in their youth.
"Believe it or not, that's reality. The humanoid chimera started acting like the child of BM's two friends who died in real Arandot. And BM... that calm, smart friend got swept up in emotions."
"Stop. Please stop talking."
"......"
"I'm feeling shitty now......"
But now I have you as my dad. I won't think about that dad anymore. The child said. BM nodded, feeling deep guilt. Yeah. I'll try to be your real dad.
Yeah. Can I ask one favor then? the child asked.
"It won't take much time. So go home."
"......What are you gonna do? Dispose of it? You mean kill it."
"Yes."
"......"
"What? Something to say?"
"Just...... wondering if you really have to dispose of it."
"Why are you sympathizing with that specimen?"
"No, it's not that...... just, just...... ......"
Yeah. What favor? BM asked. The child smiled and replied. I'm so hungry today. Can I eat a little more? For a moment, BM heard the chimeras inside him clamoring. Voices saying if it sucked more, they'd be eaten. But BM silenced them.
My kid is hungry...
At that moment, BM was half out of his mind. He didn't realize it. When he briefly felt fatigue and lowered his head to rub the back of his neck. He didn't notice the faint smile flashing across the child's mouth.
Yeoreum was silent for a long time. She hesitated. Held back her words. Her eyes, which had been avoiding his gaze, were fixed on the floor. After pondering. Choosing words. Thinking again. Only then did she speak.
"Why didn't you dispose of it right away? Why bring me here to do it?"
"Yes."
"Disposing means killing that child, right?"
"Killing that specimen."
"What about the kid? The part made from the last strand of hair, not the heart—what happens to that?"
"It dies."
Yoo Ji-tae's words were like a death sentence from an executioner.
If he willed it, it would surely happen. Yeoreum knew that. So she grew even more despondent.
"Hey. Sorry for always being stubborn."
He listened silently to her words.
"For not listening every day. Annoying people. Getting pissed off...... sorry."
"What are you trying to say?"
"But, anyway, my usual stubbornness. I wanna be stubborn one more time. Can't you spare its body?"
"No."
No. Yoo Ji-tae was saying he wouldn't do it.
"Why? You could do it if you wanted."
"No. It takes too much unnecessary time."
"How much?"
"Assuming full focus, at least a month."
"A month? Just a month? BM's someone we're grateful to. A month isn't much, we could help..., right...?"
Yeoreum trailed off. Yoo Ji-tae's expression was darkening in real time.
But Yeoreum didn't want to give up.
She didn't want to become like her resentful parents who half-abandoned her as useless.
So Yeoreum gritted her teeth and took a step toward him.
"Help. Please."
"No."
"Anyway, spending a month with us would just be lying on the sofa or eating, wasting time like that......"
"No."
"Why? Why exactly? Why are you like this with people? What's a measly month? BM helped us a lot! Why are you so heartless, why!"
The regressor tilted his head crookedly, looking down at the child who didn't even reach his chin.
Ignorant of everything. The child spoke so easily.
"Yeoreum."
"Yeah...?"
"Don't misunderstand."
Yoo Ji-tae suddenly approached Yeoreum. Startled, she backed away, but her back hit the wall of the sub-space in the Shallowest Abyss, that darkness.
Bending at the waist until he was right in front of her.
Close enough their noses nearly touched. He spoke.
"I live only for you all."
The regressor felt the need to draw a clear line.
"I breathe here to protect our daily life together. Everything else is none of my business. Who dies? Who must live? So because I have the power to save them, you want me to go save them? Ridiculous."
"......"
"As long as you all are safe and sound, I wouldn't move even if half of humanity died."
Seeing Yoo Ji-tae like she'd never seen before, fear surged in Yeoreum.
"That's the kind of person I am. That's what you all are to me."
"B-but...... it's just a month......"
"Full focus for a month means 24 hours a day, every single day for a month. To fit it into our routine by splitting to one day a week, it'd take at least a year. I couldn't protect you during that time."
"......"
"Got it? Go back. I'll finish the job soon. When you get back, we'll have dinner together—"
"No......"
That was when. Yeoreum cut him off, lowering her head deeply as she approached.
And pressed her forehead to his chest.
"No...... I, I don't get it."
"Did I not explain enough?"
"No, it's enough, so stop with the shitty explanations. Fuck...... you're just gonna scare me again with your explanations......"
Scared? Only then did the regressor feel his irritation-clouded mind clear.
Yeoreum's breathing was ragged. Her sigh dragged on. As if vomiting something up, she whispered in a small voice.
"Just once, can't you help...?"