Chapter 25: The Second Sin (4)
“No, I’m sure they were human…”
Nothing is known about the sin of pride, Spuer. So after meeting Spuer, I ran a quick analysis.
[Name: Spuer.Age: 13 years old.Race: Human.Gender: Unknown.Distinctive feature: Eyes.Something seems sealed away.What exactly? Unclear.]
I cross-referenced everything and checked the components making up their body.Definitely human.
“But… it was a chimera?”
It’s hard to deny reality when I saw it with my own eyes.That scene of absorbing the black snake…He even called it his brother.
“…Were you a chimera?”
Lapis asked while crouching slightly.She’s ready to fire her threads at any moment to subdue or decapitate the target.
No choice really.Chimeras are bio-weapons after all.Artificial lifeforms created by combining two lives, defying the will of God.
Still, there’s something off about Spuer…
“Could there be an alchemist who successfully mastered human transmutation?”Even if not forbidden knowledge per se, it’s still incredibly difficult…
“…I’m not a chimera.”
Spuer shook his head in denial.
Lapis pointed at where the black snake had been.“Then how did you absorb that?”“That’s… because we’re brothers.”
Lapis frowned.“What… nonsense is this?”“Looks like a chimera to me. The erratic behavior is a dead giveaway.”
Swish!
Arthur drew his silver sword and pressed it against Spuer’s neck.
“Speak. What are you really?”
The atmosphere between them shifted dangerously.A hair-trigger situation where either could attack at any moment.
“…Wait, hold on.”
Evan spoke up.The tense atmosphere flipped instantly with just those words.
All eyes turned to him immediately.His emotionless golden eyes stared back.
“…Young Lord Evan Alkart.”
Arthur swallowed audibly.
He didn’t expect Evan to step in personally.Does he cherish the experiment that much?
“But… this kid is dangerous.”“Someone who absorbs chimeras?”Whether they’re a chimera or not, it’s problematic either way.We don’t know what kind of calamity they’ll grow into.
Whether to put a leash on them now or…Eliminate them here.
“Even you, as talented as you are, must realize chimeras are dangerous. While I understand the desire to use them as research material…”
“?”“This child is dangerous. You know this, right?”
“…”
Evan missed his chance to call out the nonsense.
‘Dangerous? That’s true…’But pushing too hard right now would be more dangerous.Evan knows the future as a spirit possessor.He knows what happens when sins awaken.
His mouth went dry.
“Everyone has potential.”
Evan scratched his head.
Coming from a modern world flooded with information,Where videos made purely for dopamine were consumed endlessly,His head was filled with all sorts of random knowledge, including famous quotes.
Let’s piece some together!
“The future is something one decides for themselves. We can’t arbitrarily change someone else’s choices.”“But-”“Most importantly,”
Evan looked directly at Spuer.
“Spuer is human.”
“!”
Not a question.A declaration.Words affirming Spuer’s very existence.
Spuer’s eyebrows trembled slightly.
“How do you know I’m human?”“Your body composition, voice, thoughts, self, soul – all these prove you’re human. Or would you rather be something else?”“That’s… not it but…”
“Regardless of status or place of birth, humans are humans, beastmen are beastmen, monsters are monsters. That doesn’t change.”
Evan himself wasn’t sure what he was saying, just making things up that sounded plausible.
“If you were born human and want to be human, then you are human.”
“…”“…”
Spuer and Arthur fell silent.Did it work?
“…Evan.”
Lapis said in a low voice before suddenly lunging at Evan.
“You’re so cool!”
‘Wha-?!’
Why the sudden tackle?
Lapis looked up at Evan with sparkling eyes.
“I’ve never heard such amazing words before!”“Is that so?”“Yes! Spuer! Remember this! You won’t hear such great words anywhere else!”“…”
Spuer covered one eye with his hand, looking confused.Hard to believe this is the sin of pride.
‘Still, seems like it worked.’Phew!
“Spuer, I’ll give you time to sort through your confusion. Would you like to rest for a bit?”“No. I’m fine.”
Spuer uncovered his eye.
“While walking, I’ll think about it slowly.”“As you wish.”
Evan respected Spuer’s decision.
‘Hmm. At this age, identity confusion is possible.’Could it be early puberty?Compared to what it could be, this is pretty tame.
Spuer quietly chose silence.Arthur spoke up.
“Is this also part of your plan?”“What do you mean by that?”
Evan gave Arthur a look of ‘What nonsense is this?’ but kept his expression neutral.
Arthur continued seriously.
“Even to someone as dense as me, it’s clear you already knew about this child’s true nature.”‘How would I know that?’
Alchemists aren’t omniscient.
He’s just an ordinary spirit possessor #1 stuck in the unfortunate body of Evan, the worst second act boss.
How could I possibly know something that wouldn’t come up in analysis?
We’re dealing with sins here.Innate talents and fates that can’t be compared.
But Arthur seems to have a misunderstanding.He started moving forward slowly.
“…So you did know. As dull as I am, I can’t tell how far ahead you see.”
“…”
“If you wish it, I’ll gladly play along. Now, what should we do?”
“Let’s go down slowly.”
No idea what misunderstanding he has.Need to figure out exactly what the problem is first.
For now, let’s go down and think about it.
“Lapis, Spuer, let’s go.”“Yes!”“…”
Arthur led the way, with Evan following behind.Spuer watched Evan’s back with a complex expression.
*
The ancient dungeon lived up to its name in depth.
‘Too deep, isn’t it?’
By now, Eugene was already exhausted, unlike the other three who seemed full of energy.Being frail really is a disadvantage.
At least the path down isn’t dangerous.
-Keeeeeaaaaaa!
‘Ah! Wha-?!’
Though startled, as soon as Arthur appeared, swish! It was dead in seconds.Anything not a shadow gets finished in one second.While idly striking the unstable form chimera with his sword tip, Arthur asked Spuer.
“Is this also your brother?”“Yeah.”“Quite a few brothers you have. Do you have multiple parents maybe?”“?!”
They’d already slain over ten chimeras.Such numbers seem unrealistic.
“I don’t have any parents.”
Arthur’s innocent question threw off the atmosphere momentarily, but anyway…
“Pause. There’s something ahead.”
After moving for a few more hours, they started seeing the end of the dungeon.
Evan had a small golem created through transmutation holding a torch to light the way.
Whoosh-
There was no more path.Just a wall blocking their way.
Evan’s golem slowly illuminated the wall with its torch.
An endless number of images filled the wall.
“…A mural.”
A diary carved into the wall, recording events in murals.Looking at the pictures filling the wall gave a subtle sense of oppression.
‘This is the main event.’
Dark clouds and lightning striking down from the sky.Monsters screaming below.The monster looked like a dragon but also resembled a beast.
Still, there was something strange.
‘What the heck is that?’
The monster’s back was splitting open, with something emerging.Surely there aren’t monsters like that here, right?
That would be too much.
Evan frowned internally.
“This… Is this a depiction of mythology? But it’s odd.”
Arthur furrowed his brow.
“To call this a representation of a god is too grotesque. It looks more like a demon.”
The thing emerging wasn’t quite human, though it resembled one.
Two horns on its head, wings on its back.This was closer to a demon.
It even seemed to be absorbing something from the corpses scattered around the monster.
‘Certainly, there’s a reason they’re called evil gods.’
The heretics worship blood gods.Gods that receive human blood as offerings.The better the quality and quantity of blood offered, the greater power they bestow.
Naturally, from the empire’s perspective, they had to declare heresy.After all, using humans as sacrifices is unacceptable from the start.
“With my limited knowledge, I cannot decipher this. Young Lord Evan, do you have any idea what this means?”
“…Certainly unusual.”
Is there a mural like this?Searching my memory, nothing comes up.
How could anyone memorize every single picture?Even a genius couldn’t do that.Trying to recall similar images, but none come to mind.
Instead, something else came to mind.
Lightning falling from the sky, a life emerging from a split back.Separately, they might not seem odd, but together…
“The process of something being born.”
Spuer spoke.
“…This depicts the conception and birth of a god.”
Yes! That’s the answer!
“…The conception and birth of a god? What, gods can be born?”“Whether it’s true or not, there are those who truly believe this.”“There’s writing below.”
Below the pictures, faint lines resembling an anthill were drawn.Countless lines and circles covered the space.
Each line had text written on it.
[We have failed.][We cannot create a vessel for the descent of a god.][We lack the power to create life.]
This was a record of failures and successes.
[Unstable.][There are no longer any alchemists in the continent capable of ‘human transmutation’.]
[Changing direction.][If we make existing life stronger, it might become a vessel for the god.][A special specimen with red fur was modified.][Success.][Modifying existing life isn’t difficult.][Let’s change direction again.][Failure.][Another failure!][The chimeras escaped the laboratory. Catch them at all costs!]…
…
An anthill-like mass of countless lines drawn downward.At the very end,In the last possible space to write,
One single line remained.
[We have succeeded.][In creating life.][Modifying what already exists is akin to creation itself!][Finally, we have birthed a vessel with our own hands.][Not a chimera, but a true human!][He will accept our god, and bear a fate proportionate to that!]
‘…This.’
Not a chimera but a true human.A successful experimental subject.The mention of great destiny.
Evan had a hunch.
‘Is this about Spuer?’
All evidence points to Spuer being the subject of this story.
‘Never would have guessed he had this kind of past.’
Spuer was actually an experimental subject.Makes sense.Having such overwhelming power naturally seems a bit absurd.This level of backstory is reasonable.
‘I wonder if Lapis has something like this?’
Her real name.The sin of wrath.Physically, Ilah far surpasses everyone.
There must be some hidden secrets she hasn’t revealed yet.
“…Success. They managed to create a human?”“They failed to directly create humans.”
Spuer said calmly.
“Instead, they started modifying and altering fetuses. Countless mothers died, and many failures – chimeras – appeared.”
His emotionless eyes gazed at the mural.
“My poor brothers… They were just countless prototypes to create me.”
“Spuer.”
Spuer clenched his fists tightly.
“I need to destroy this place today.”
“I still don’t trust you. However, I must agree with that statement.”
Arthur summoned his aura.
“This place needs to be destroyed.”
“I’m grateful to you, Evan Alkart.”
Spuer looked at Evan.
“I was confused earlier… But you must have intended all of this, right?”
“?”“Bringing in the heretic demon Arthur, leading me to this dungeon… I don’t know what you hope to gain, but I wish you obtain what you seek.”“???”
I didn’t do anything!Evan felt uneasy.
Denying it would ruin the serious atmosphere though.
Hmm, I’ll clarify later.Evan chose to escape reality.A wise decision.
“Everyone, step back.”
Arthur gripped his sword with both hands and struck forcefully.
[Full Moon Style 1 – Smash]
KABOOOOM!
Silver aura exploded outward, shattering the mural completely.
Revealing another chamber beneath.Though no lights were lit,
The entire chamber glowed red from the single red light emitted by a sphere at the center.
[Welcome, Spuer.]A voice came from the sphere.
“It’s been a while. Though I didn’t expect you’d bring companions who aren’t my flesh and blood here.”
“…You.”
Spuer clearly showed confusion.Who is this voice?
“Bishop Blake.”
The answer came from Arthur.
“Are you alive?”
“Blake Bishop?”Ah, it came back to me.
The actual leader of the heretics.The owner of Green Mountain, possessing power beyond his bishop title.
Reportedly defeated by Arthur, but he survived with only his heart, waiting for us to arrive.
Why?
“Are you alive?”[Had good fortune on my side.]
Thump, thump, thump.
The pulsating sphere.Now visible clearly as the view brightened.The sphere.More accurately, a heart.
[Please forgive this pitiful appearance. My time is limited.]
“Same here.”
Arthur’s whole body wrapped in silver light.
“I missed last time, but I’ll finish you off completely this time.”[That won’t do.]
Bishop Blake remained calm despite seeing Arthur.
What’s his trick?When Arthur frowned,
[To the master of fate who brought us here. I pay my respects. Thus, Spuer…]
The air turned icy instantly upon his words.
[Kill him.]
“…”“…”
And then…
“…?”“…??”
Nothing happened.Bishop Blake fell silent for a moment before sounding puzzled.
“[…Uh?]
