Chapter 123
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123
"I do not concern myself with good and evil," said the man draped in the bones of beasts.
"I’m not the type to fret over such tedious matters. I know full well that I am fickle and self-indulgent. I do only what amuses me."
"..."
"If a thinking being has no greed, are they not a corpse? I am true to my instincts. I covet what I desire, I rage at those who anger me, and I would rather do nothing than betray my convictions."
His attire, fashioned from bone and feather, was primitive, yet it was draped in luxurious fabrics fit for high nobility, giving him an air of antique elegance. The man, wearing a mask crafted from a ram’s skull, laughed.
"What do you think?"
"I think it sounds like an entertaining life."
"Oh, indeed. We speak the same language."
"Life ought to be fun, after all."
Gio, wrapped in his black cloak, nodded in agreement.
"Have you ever killed anyone?"
"Quite a few, I imagine. There were a great many people who got angry with me."
"Why were they angry with you, Arjio?"
To this, Gio’s second compatible, 'Arjio', replied.
"They claimed I was the root of all evil in the world."
Beyond the bone mask, his golden eyes curved into sharp crescents.
"They called me a monster, you see."
"..."
Inside the palace of bone and blood, Gio muttered, "That’s a highly abstract metaphor."
"My thoughts exactly, my friend."
When 'Arjio' laughed, a low, rumbling sound like a tiger’s growl vibrated from him.
"It’s truly vexing, isn’t it? If they’re angry, they should tell me exactly what they’re angry about. They ought to tell me what I did to them and precisely which part of me they found so offensive."
"And why is that?"
"So that I, too, can rage alongside them. Only then can we clash with all our might, exchange our true feelings, and forge a better result. Wouldn’t you say that is the most potent power of wrath?"
On his chaotic, extravagant throne adorned with all manner of silks, feathers, and furs, 'Arjio' assumed a weary expression. He spoke as if deeply troubled.
"Yet most people couldn’t even manage that. They were nothing but fools, unable to master their own anger and instead consumed by it. If they are so easily swayed by an emotion that is but a mere fraction of my being, how can they claim the right to be called human?"
A moment later, his smile returned.
"Thus, all those multitudes were merely beasts."
"Oh..."
"Is it not so?"
"It’s a novel perspective, but I respect it."
"Being respected is always a pleasant feeling."
With a bright smile, 'Arjio' rested his chin on his hand. Long, sharp claws—reminiscent of a feline predator or a bird of prey—caught Gio’s eye.
Gio, brave as ever, did not hold back his curiosity.
"Are you growing those claws out?"
"...Ahahaha!"
Bursting into laughter, 'Arjio' replied with a voice full of mirth, "Oh, well. I suppose you could say I am, but it was hardly for cosmetic reasons."
"They match your current fashion so well that I assumed it was intentional."
"It’s not that I groomed my claws to match my attire. Rather, my body is naturally like this, so I styled my clothes to suit it."
"I have no fashion sense, so I just wear black. I’m actually a little envious."
"...Oh, dear. You don’t know how to dress yourself? Is that typical for Earthlings?"
"Seeing as those who want to dress up do it just fine, I think it’s just a personal problem."
"..."
His smile fading, 'Arjio' cast a look of pity upon him.
"...I trust that once you are with me, that drab personality of yours will improve a little."
"Do you dislike my current outfit that much?"
"I could drag in any random beast and it would possess more colorful flavor than you."
"They say wearing neutrals is a safe bet, though."
"Unless there is some cultural reason or you are performing a ritual, what is the point of being draped entirely in black?"
"I just like black. I can’t help it."
"The color black must be weeping from such abuse. How tragic."
Clicking his tongue, 'Arjio' returned to the previous topic.
"My claws are one of the abilities I’ve possessed since birth. Since you will have to use them once we are joined, you would do well to listen closely."
"I’m all ears."
"An excellent attitude. To put it simply, my power is the ability to mimic beasts. I can replicate a predator’s claws, as I am now, or mimic the great wings of a bird to soar through the sky. I can even copy the sharp instincts of prey to evade danger."
"How could anyone not covet that?"
"I, too, truly cherish this power. Yet, strangely enough, my family feared it greatly. My house branded me a curse and cast me out into a forest teeming with dangerous beasts."
"..."
Gio pressed his lips together. 'Arjio' asked, "You look displeased."
"I just don’t understand why every single person named 'Gio' insists on unloading their heavy backstory the very first time we meet."
"That is another peculiar thought. Is this meeting not designed for exactly that purpose?" 'Arjio' laughed, amused. "Or would you prefer to assimilate with me without any explanation at all?"
"Put that way, I suppose hearing the explanation is better."
"Quite right. Judging by your behavior, you at least won’t meet a foolish end through sheer stupidity."
Nodding, 'Arjio' introduced himself.
"Thus, I shall tell you: I am a nameless curse. I am a descendant of a royal family that once ruled a vast empire, a force of nature raised with clever and dangerous beasts as my family, and ultimately, a 'Gio' who died under the iron hammer of humanity."
He added, "In the end, 'Arjio' is a name that is not my name."
"Does the word 'Arjio' have a meaning?"
"In an ancient, primitive tongue, Ar means 'cruel,' and Gio means 'beast.' In short, 'Cruel Beast.'"
"Beast..."
Gio scrutinized him thoroughly.
"You certainly look strong."
"Though the name was intended more as an insult than a term of pure admiration."
"You seem to have plenty of muscle. If you join me, will I be able to use that strength too?"
"If you prefer such a physique, why haven’t you been working out?"
"I didn’t want to sweat for anything other than farming."
"..."
A moment later, 'Arjio' nodded.
"Once we assimilate, may I take charge of your physical conditioning?"
"Wait, are we assimilating into a different ego?"
"No, it shouldn’t be like that. Though I do worry that I might be the one assimilated by that lazy mind of yours."
"I just don’t work out. I don’t think I’m particularly lazy."
"Then what are you diligent in? Farming? Well, I am not particularly fond of such things..."
Even though his face was hidden behind a mask with only eyeholes, Gio could feel 'Arjio' furrowing his brow.
"Do you enjoy fighting, at least?"
"There are so many enjoyable things in this world. Why on earth would I choose that?"
"I suspected as much from the moment I was summoned here, but this is truly disheartening."
"Why go out of your way to seek conflict?"
"At the very least, shouldn’t you know how to feel righteous anger when conflict finds you?"
"I do get angry sometimes."
"And have you ever harvested the tongue and teeth of someone spouting nonsense?"
"On Earth, you get arrested for doing that."
"Hmm. Indeed, laws and rules are important."
"Now that is an unexpected response," Gio remarked in admiration. "You seemed so bellicose that I assumed you wouldn’t care for laws or morality."
"I suppose I am not particularly bound by morality."
"Ah?"
"But that does not mean I deny the necessity of goodness and rules," 'Arjio' continued in a casual tone. "I am quite fickle. One day, I might wish to get drunk in a village filled with smiles; on another, I might head with a clear mind toward a hell echoing with screams."
"..."
"Have you never wanted to act like a mindless beast? To strip off all your cumbersome clothes? Have you never wished to shout and scream, to smell the sweet scent of blood, and to fight until your entire body shatters?"
"Never."
"I can understand your way of life as well. Ultimately, what I’m trying to say is that for a fickle being like me to enjoy everything to my heart’s content, the world must have both good and evil, both peace and chaos, coexisting."
To achieve that...
"In the end, we need those who believe in the good and those who abide by the rules."
Only then can I enjoy whatever I desire at any given moment.
"So, it was only natural that someone like me ended up being called an Evil God."
"Did I come here today just to become one with an Evil God?"
"To your great surprise, yes."
"May I leave?"
"You cannot leave unless I permit it, my kind Origin."
"This is unfair. I should have a choice in this."
"How pitiful. Your authority ended the moment you stepped inside."
Laughing merrily, 'Arjio' continued, "So, why not listen to more of my story for now?"
For it promises to be quite fascinating.
* * *
Once, there was a great house that ruled over humans.
A curse had been passed down through this family for generations: when one of their children reached the age of ten, they would turn into a wicked beast.
"For that reason, my house encouraged having as many children as possible. If they had only one child and that child turned into a wicked beast, they would be forced to kill their only heir. So, they always kept other children as contingencies."
Once a child reached ten and revealed their hideous true form, they were abandoned in the filthiest, most horrific hell accessible to humans: a vast rainforest known as the 'Black Forest'.
"I was praised for my beautiful appearance and my exceptional talent for painting, but when I turned ten, a horn grew from my forehead. That was the trigger. The rumors of monsters dwelling in the 'Black Forest' were famous, but I never imagined those monsters originated from my own family... I was abandoned without even knowing why."
The place where I was abandoned was indeed as dangerous as the rumors claimed.
"In a darkness where the sun never rose, dangerous beasts and insects constantly watched for a chance to feast on my flesh. Everything harbored a poison so potent that nothing could be safely eaten or drunk, and ear-splitting shrieks echoed constantly, sounding like the screams of vengeful spirits."
Yet, I did not die.
"Was I not a beast myself? Once I realized I was not human, I acted instinctively and greedily, just like any other beast, fighting for prey on equal footing with the forest’s inhabitants. It was not difficult to find a new family."
And then, I discovered an astonishing truth.
"Deep within that forest lay the ruins of a forgotten dynasty. There, I learned that the power I possessed was not a curse, but a blessing. I discovered that the 'monsters' abandoned here over the centuries were actually saints, meant to ward off the great catastrophes of the Black Forest."
There was far too much evidence left behind for it to be dismissed as a delusion concocted by ancestors driven mad by the dark forest.
"However, as too much time passed, people forgot. Forgetting that the children were offered to prevent catastrophes, they came to view our alien power as a curse. They believed the ominous nature of the Black Forest was not caused by the catastrophes, but by us."
Of course, it did not matter.
"What would have changed even if they knew?"
It was not that he felt no anger toward the family that had cast him out, but 'Arjio' had gained a new family. He painted on the walls of the grand ancient dynasty, seized what he wanted like a true beast, and occasionally shared with others as time passed.
"Though I did occasionally break out of the forest during that time..."
Well?
"I swear upon a warrior’s soul that I never harmed the innocent. Of course, I will not claim I never harmed anyone at all. How could I possibly leave those who attacked me unscathed?"
The problem came afterward.
"Rumors began to spread that I was the source of some epidemic."
The humans raged.
"Before I even knew what was happening, I was forced to watch my home burn. Yes, lacking the courage to face me directly, the humans decided to burn down the entire forest. I suffered severe burns in the process, clung to life for a little longer, and ultimately died in the embrace of my family..."
It was not that 'Arjio' wasn’t angered by this senseless display of rage, but...
"Tell me, do you remember? The Black Forest existed in the first place to prevent a catastrophe that would destroy the world. The wicked beasts born at least once every generation were the forest keepers meant to aid in that task... and they served as the final barrier."
Now, the forest was gone, reduced to ashes, and there were no forest keepers left to defend it.
"In the end, the catastrophe hidden since ancient times revealed itself. The beasts developed human-like intelligence, began to speak, and harbored more nuanced, intense emotions."
Among them, 'Arjio’s' family burned with a desire for vengeance against humanity.
"What do you think happened to the world?"
For countless ages, humans had bred and slaughtered beasts for food. But now, not only was their food source gone, but the beasts began to speak to them, hurling curses and initiating a horrific 'exchange' with humanity.
There was no way the human world could endure.
"In that process, I became an Evil God. To be precise, I am the collective consciousness of all those 'wicked beasts' abandoned in the Black Forest over the ages—saints who met horrific deaths without ever having their true worth recognized."
It was truly a tragic affair.
"Almost no human seemed to realize that 'Arjio' was actually a collective. They simply whispered about this root of all evil, giving shape to the entity that is me."
The Evil God who unleashed catastrophes from the Black Forest and led the slaughter.
"The Cruel Beast."
That was 'Arjio'.