Chapter 98
Chapter 98
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Primordial Being
-----------------------------------------------------------------
What is a "Primordial Being"?
The first entity to appear, or the first to accomplish something?
Either way, there was more than one such being.
'Since it said "one of the Primordial Beings," there must be several.'
The game I knew, Survive Among Entities, didn't feature that concept.
Fortunately, the announcer explained what a "Primordial Being" was.
[A Primordial Being is an entity that achieves something for the first time. Whether it's a feat, an accomplishment, or something mundane, only the first to achieve that concept qualifies. And Primordial Beings often possess tremendous power.]
"Thanks for the kind explanation."
[What business could such a being have in Uluru? Primordial Beings are often those who became gods through their feats, or have passed away, or left for realms beyond this world, or rule as dimensional overlords.]
The announcer shook their head repeatedly, as if trying to do something.
[As expected of a Primordial Being, their identity can't be confirmed. Regrettably, we can't predict what might happen to Earth because of them either. What will unfold on Earth? Is this Primordial Being benevolent? Or malevolent? We mustn't forget that while some Primordial feats are good or mundane, others are evil.]
They bowed toward the screen as if apologizing, then moved on to the next story.
[Second story. In two weeks, a bomb terror attack is scheduled at the taxi stand of Melbourne International Airport in Australia. The perpetrator behind the terror... Huh?]
The broadcast didn't proceed smoothly.
[Not a bomb terror, but a mass shooting? Hmm, truck ramming? Oh no, knife attack? Damn it! Can't observe it!]
Seeing the announcer getting irritated made me realize what was happening.
'The Antichrist's entities can't even be observed by the Eastern Hell's karma realms.'
That's why Eastern Hell had preemptively pinned it on Lucifer Company as the culprit of great evil karma.
It seemed the Antichrist possessed entities that interfered with observation, ones even the wall-mounted TV couldn't handle.
[Regrettably, we have to end the international news segment here. We sincerely apologize for not delivering quality news.]
Instead, they aired different news.
[For our third story, we'll air a special on the "Primordial Being." It will take a moment to prepare, so please watch our ads!]
The desk screen went dark.
Then, a flashy ad with vibrant colors began broadcasting.
[Oof! I'm so hungry! So hungry my friend died!]
[Oh no! What do I do? I want to bring my friend back!]
[That's right! Ever heard that saying? The kind of taste where even if one dies eating with two, you wouldn't notice!]
[What kind of nonsense is that in this situation!?]
[On the contrary, it's a snack so good that even if two revive from one eating, you wouldn't notice!]
[(What!? Is that true!?)]
Two clowns performing a skit.
One pulled jerky from his pocket.
[The new product from the "Mr. Ando Chef's Super Delicious Jerky" series! Amrita-flavored jerky is now out!]
[Whoa! Let's eat!]
[Om nom nom!]
[Om nom nom!]
As the two ate the jerky, the fallen one suddenly woke up and yawned.
[Yawn... Huh!? What are you guys eating!?]
[Whoa! He's alive!]
[Thank you! Mr. Ando! The jerky was delicious!]
The pig with an eyepatch on the jerky packaging grinned, baring its teeth.
[No problem! Making delicious food is a chef's duty!]
[Hahaha! Mr. Ando is the best!]
[Long live Mr. Ando Chef!]
The ad ended, but a fine-print disclaimer narrated over.
The revival probability for this product is as follows: 33% chance of revival in original state. 33% chance of revival with memory loss. 33% chance of revival as a zombie. 1% chance of conversion to outer space waste, with outer space radiation affecting up to 333,333 km. Mr. Ando Chef bears no responsibility or liability for any financial, physical, psychological, or dimensional damages resulting from this product. Purchasing or consuming it constitutes agreement to these terms. This product is a collaboration with WK Corporation; all copyrights belong to WK Corporation. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution may result in encounters with WK Corporation's exclusive legal team.
One ad finished.
The next was a public service announcement.
[Have you seen this child? This poor kid ran away from home recently. Their guardians are desperately waiting, so if you've spotted them, please call the number below.]
[Number: xxx-xxxx-xxxx]
The number was from my world.
A photo of the missing child appeared: a beautiful boy with snow-white hair and dark skin.
[Name: Frankenstein-kun]
[Traits: Loves to eat. Grows stronger the hungrier he gets. Not very bright.]
[Notes: Stitched scars all over body, immortal and unkillable. Family says he's extremely strong.]
Then, footage of the missing child's family played.
'Who is that?'
Against the backdrop of a massive lab, an entity wept torrents of tears.
[Franken-kun! Please come back! I apologize a hundred—no, a thousand times for eating your pudding!]
[Doctor! That's why I told you not to eat it!]
[And I'm sorry for trying to experiment on you! It was an unavoidable test to link you with the "Scrub-a-Dub" function from Stalkers Scrub-a-Dub! I won't do it again, so please forgive me!]
[Do you know that experiment made Franken shatter thirty-eight times?]
[Above all, Franken-kun! You're a lifeform that needs battery charging! You can charge like normal beings by eating, but ordinary calories can't sustain you! Right now, your charge is sufficient to keep your sanity, but in a few weeks, it'll run out! It could deplete even faster depending on your activity!]
A large nurse with a cross-shaped scar across her face stared pitifully.
A small doctor in a white coat, ambiguous gender.
'Dr. Janus and her assistant.'
Dr. Janus shed tears like a waterfall.
[When fuel runs low, survival is at risk! When survival is at risk, instincts awaken! Then your embedded violence surges! You'll become a beast!]
[He's already violent. You saying he'll get even more so?]
[If normal Franken-kun is a tame retriever, hungry Franken-kun becomes a starving tiger!]
[Whoa, definitely don't want to run into that!]
[And what about the inventions embedded in your body! If hungry Franken-kun destroys a planet, I'll have to pay the reparations!]
[Knew that was your real worry. Pathetic, Doctor!]
The screen switched.
[If you've seen their grieving family, please contact us.]
The ad finally ended.
The announcer reappeared at the desk and greeted.
[We've just had a staffer arrive at the Primordial Being's location. Now, for our interview with the Primordial Being. On-site intern, intern?]
The live footage was a familiar place to me.
[Yes! I'm the intern from Golden Omnipotence Corporation, called Intern!]
[٩(๑>∀<๑)۶]
She introduced the company and thrust the mic at the being sitting opposite.
[Golden Omnipotence Corporation is famous for existing since ancient times, and its chairman is known as one of the Primordial Beings. So, Chairman, interview time!]
A gold ingot on a plush sofa.
Naturally, no voice came.
[I see! So inspiring! Would you tell us about Primordial Beings?]
[(๑′ᴗ‵๑)]
Silence again.
[Whoa! Such secrets! Are other Primordial Beings like that too?More of the same.
[No way! So shocking! Never imagined that! What about our station chief then? So curious!]
[(；◔д◔）)]
The chairman's voice remained unheard.
I thought the interview would end fruitlessly, but the intern's reactions revealed one extra fact.
[Wow! So not only achieving something first makes one a Primordial Being, but the emergence of new concepts in the world because of them does too! The origin of Primordials and birthplace of concepts—how romantic! Alright! That's our interview with Golden Omnipotence Corporation's chairman! Everyone, Gol-den!]
There were two types of Primordial Beings.
'Those who achieved something first as Primordials.'
Like heroes accomplishing feats, the first to reach the top or attempt it.
'And those who are the origin of all things and the birthplace of concepts.'
Does that mean they embedded concepts into the world as laws?
I'd never seen a Primordial Being myself, so I couldn't say for sure, but the latter felt like overwhelming transcendent entities.
"Such a being is showing up in Australia?"
In the very country where the Antichrist was scheming.
"Even without Eastern Hell's request, there's no way I could sit this one out."
Whatever happened if I didn't step in, it surely wouldn't be good.
"Especially in this world doomed to destruction."
Soon after, the wall-mounted TV shut off.
[We sincerely apologize for the news we intended to broadcast being disrupted. We'll return soon with accurate, reliable reporting.]
That was the end of this wall-mounted TV broadcast.
"The Antichrist's entities surpass even the wall-mounted TV."
Before heading to Australia, I needed preparations too.
'Is it today?'
After a week of preparations, I boarded a flight to Australia.
I'd packed reinforced items from prior experiments, Love, large quantities of "Dried Friendship," the enhanced Polaroid camera, and more, heading to Sydney.
'If only I could resolve this with the Equivalent Exchange Scales.'
Unfortunately, the scales had clear limits.
'Humans can't pay any price to learn entity intel or solutions.'
Its baseline was low.
For living richly as a normal person or getting desires fulfilled, it was far simpler than quest tickets.
'Entity info is valued so immensely that no human body or concept can cover it.'
Guess it's best for helping ordinary folks from the office.
"Here we are."
Sydney International Airport. The foreign scenery wasn't all that familiar.
'The first news on the wall-mounted TV worked because their power got through. Probably means the Antichrist's interference entity activates by reading gazes, thoughts, or interventions.'
Which meant the first news was true.
One month from the broadcast date, so three weeks left.
"Uluru."
Australia's massive rock, also called Ayers Rock.
There were flights from Sydney International to Ayers Rock Airport near Uluru, so I could wait here and depart.
"Excuse me?"
"Yes?"
Then, a blond Westerner approached me.
"Hello?"
He first replied in English, then switched to familiar Korean.
"Please die for humanity."
An inverted pentagram on the man's forehead.
Blood tears streamed from his eyes, and his body ballooned like a balloon in seconds.
"Everything for the Antichrist."
Ah.
Didn't they say the Antichrist was a false prophet?
'Not false?'
How did he know I was coming?
'An entity's power?'
An earth-shaking explosion engulfed me.