Chapter 136: Gods or Heroes (IV) - The Existence of the Antichrist

{WARNING: This chapter might come as disrespectful to the beliefs of Christian readers, note that I didn't mean to disrespect your belief, because in writing Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) I mainly use Judaism, but combine it with the other two, and but mainly Judaism. I hope you understand and thank you.)

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The Antichrist is a demon that is said to be the one who'll destroy the world in the second coming of Christ.

If Jesus Christ, the son of Yahweh is said to be the representative of Heaven to protect humanity, then the Antichrist is the opposite of him.

They're two people who are the same but at the same time they're not, their views on human beings are different from each other.

The former loves humanity while the latter detests them, that's the difference between Christ and the Antichrist.

But who are those two anyway? Christ and the Antichrist, both are part of Abrahamic Mythology which I'm also a part of, yet their existence is somewhat different from mine.

The Antichrist, son of a demon and is now the first demon to become a Hero, in sense he's like me but at the same time he's far more sinister than I can ever be, he loves humanity yet he hates them, he wants peace but at the same time, he loves people suffering, all in all, he's a psychopath who only wants to pleasure himself.

But how can someone like him exist? He is a demon yet he's a Hero at the same time, but that doesn't factor into why he existed though, the main problem has got to be with his counterpart Jesus Christ, he is said to be the son of God- Yahweh, and that's what troubling about this...

Because I remember what Millie thought of me before.

"Millie, since it is now confirmed that us-demons exist, does that mean that what Jesus said is true?" This was the question I'm confused about, I'm not that religious per se but I am knowledgeable about things like this.

When I was still young, my adoptive parents keep teaching me about different religions and mythologies, even if I'm not interested in them it's still something important to me because I know my adoptive parents have a good reason why they wanted me to know about religions and mythologies.

"Jesus? Oh, that guy..." Millie nonchalantly said. "Why would you mention a normal guy like him?'

"Wait, wait, wait, you can't just say normal at Jesus Millie, do you even know who you're talking to? It's Jesus! The son of God, even if I'm not a Christian, most humans still look up to him as their savior, you know? So, treat his name with respect." I honestly didn't expect Millie to disrespect him and isn't she afraid that Jesus might smite her?

"I'm a devil, why would I treat that guy with respect?"

"Well, that makes sense..." Millie's answer makes sense, she's a devil so there's no reason for her to treat Jesus with respect.

Wait, why am I even treating that guy with respect? I'm a devil, like her too. "But, aren't you afraid that he might smite you?" As I was asking her this question, I was afraid that she would say yes.

"Huh? Why would I? He's nothing but a normal guy who spreads the gospel of Yahweh."

"Wait... But isn't he the son of Yahweh? So doesn't that make him like a God of some sort?" He is the child of a God and a human though, so it makes him a demi-God.

"*Sigh* Listen, big brother, Jesus Christ is nothing but a fake."

I was dumbfounded at what Millie said, what does she mean that Jesus is a fake? He is the son of Yahweh, and there is some evidence that points out he's true, one of that evidence is right in front of me- our existence, so what does she mean?

"You still don't get it, do you? Well, I guess I can teach you a thing or two about Abrahamic Myth." Millie grabbed three coins and placed them on the table.

Each of the coins has unique symbols on them, the first one has the Star of David, a Cross, and a Cresent with a Star.

All those three symbols are familiar to me, the first one being the symbol of Judaism, the second Christianity, and the third Islam.

"Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Three of the most prominent religions on Earth, and those three same religions is what made our identity as demons." Millie let out a small smile of melancholy when she said that. "Even if those three have many differences in their ways of teaching how to live, in the end, they're the same thing."

Millie took the coins of Judaism and put them above the other two. "Christianity and Islam are currently the two leading religion on Earth, if you ask me these two is what makes our Mythology great. Yet, for me, these two are inferior to the original, which is Judaism."

Yeah, I remember my adoptive parents teaching me that, both Christianity and Islam came from Judaism, they're just a branch of the body.

"Now to answer your question, who is Jesus? In each of those three religions, there's one thing they don't agree with: who is Jesus Christ?"

Millie took the Christian coin and showed it to me. "First and foremost Christianity, Jesus in Christianity is the so-called son of God, born from a virgin woman, the Messiah, and was crucified, died, and revived, but Islam and Judaism don't agree with this. In Islam Jesus is not the son of God but instead a Prophet, the same as in Christianity, but he wasn't crucified instead God brought him to Heaven, and both Christians and Muslims agree that Jesus will save the world from the Antichrist. In Judaism, this is when it takes on a different turn, unlike Christianity and Islam Jesus is neither the son of God nor the Prophet, he was just a normal dude that's not even worth mentioning, he's completely irrelevant in their belief and the Torah, so does that answer your question?"

"No..." I replied still confused about the existence of Jesus. "So is Jesus real or not?"

"He's real, I'm a hundred percent sure he's real, father told me a story once about him seeing Jesus with his own eyes."

So Jesus exists but is not relevant, but at the same time, he's important in some way? What the h*ck?! "So what is he then? Is he the son of God like the one in Christianity, the Prophet in Islam, or a nobody in Judaism?"

Millie heaved out a heavy sigh, not wanting to explain who Jesus is. "Jesus is all three put together, basing on what the Archduke and our parents said, Jesus was a Prophet, he was crucified and was brought to Heaven by Yahweh, in the end, he is only tasked by Yahweh to spread Abrahamic faith around the the the world and nothing more. Not only that, but it's a bit exaggerated that he would save humanity when the Earth is already dying, not only that but he alone cannot save humanity if the other Gods from other Mythologies exist, also who is he gonna save it from? The Antichrist is just made up by people to make sure that the Abrahamic faith will spread, not even Satanael and Baal who is one of the oldest angels created by Yahweh has met a guy called 'Antichrist', so that thing about Second Coming is nothing more than a story."

Yes... Nothing more than a story, that's what Millie said, the lead scientist of Hell and our strategist when we fought Satanael, she made a few mistakes but all of what she made: from the phone, getting us out of the space we were trapped, and more has succeeded, which is why her intelligence is even feared by some of the Gods.

But it looks like she made a grave mistake saying that the Antichrist isn't real, but I can't blame her since not even Satanael and Baal knew of the Antichrist's existence.

"Is something wrong Haruki?" Luna noticed that I was lost in my thoughts and became worried. "We're leaving now, say your goodbye to Asherah and Beelzebub."

"Oh right..." The four of us are still in this space that the Antichrist- Bermuda transported me to.

Right now Luna and I are alone and standing on a magic circle to transport us out of here, Asherah and Beelzebub went somewhere else in this space looking for something that can get us out of here.

"Just follow that blue butterfly and it'll show you where Asherah and Beelzebub are." Luna pointed.

"Oh sure, thanks." I got out of the magic circle and started following the butterfly who noticed that I wanted to see Asherah and Beelzebub.

We walked for about a couple of minutes and as we walk I observed our surroundings to see the difference between this place from the Garden of Eden.

And from what I've seen, I now know that this place is far more lively than the Garden of Eden, everything that's not on Eden can be found right here- from trees, animals, fruits, and even time! Back at Eden, the only time I get to see all those things is when Asherah shapes the garden if she wants to, the only time she changed it is when she showed me the true story of Adam and Eve and when she creates snacks and tea for us to fill our stomachs with.

Unlike Eden, this place is more alive than the famous Garden of Eden in Abrahamic Myth, really... It's truly scary to think that space as alive as this truly exists. It's truly scary...

I stopped in my tracks the moment I realized what I said. "A space that's alive huh? Now that I think about it, this is the first time I get to see a space filled with life... Wait a minute, this place is actually filled with actual living things that are not controlled by someone! Isn't it that bad?!" I shouted in a panic, I was too busy thinking about dealing with Bermuda and his identity as the Antichrist that I didn't manage to properly observe my surroundings.

And this isn't the first time I was trapped in a space filled with life, that time when Millie, the Archdukes, and I were trapped in a space created by Satanael, that has life on it. Well, technically it doesn't at first but when Luna and Dawn broke the space to free us, that's when life started appearing in that space and Millie told me because there are living things appearing in the space, it can affect the world negatively if we take too long to get out of there.

Then... As of right now, this space is currently affecting the Earth as I speak. "This is bad! At this point, Bermuda is gonna be the one to destroy the world!" I was shaking my head and walking back and forth from anxiousness about what's gonna happen to Earth.

"Seriously, your voice is too loud Haruki." From behind one of the trees, Beelzebub came out with a ton of injuries from what seemed like a fall. "I can't concentrate on my work because of your loud mouth."

"Oh sorry about that... Wait! Now's not the time for apologies Beelzebub, as of right now the Earth is being destroyed by this space! We need to get out of here right now!"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... What are you talking about? What do you mean the world is gonna get destroyed?" Beelzebub was dumbfounded at what I said, he was looking at me with a disappointed look as he looks at me panicking like a child.

"What are you talking about? Won't this space destroy this world because it'll engulf it with darkness?"

"Oh, so that's what you were saying..." He let out a sigh of relief when he found out that it wasn't that serious. "That only works for a space that's temporary, since Satanael created that space to use as a trap, it's incomplete so the temporary space is taking materials on Earth hence why it's destroying it." He replied with an almost concerned look at me. "And isn't already common sense Haruki? Hell and the original space- where humans live are complete spaces, and like those two this is a complete space hence why life here exists."

"I see..." That was a relief, good thing that the work wouldn't end today.

"Anyway, good timing that you're here Haruki. Come, I want to show you something."

Beelzebub walked toward the forest and so I followed him, I looked behind to check on the blue butterfly and saw it still going in the direction it was leading me to.

It was odd seeing the butterfly continuing its path, but I didn't mind it and followed Beelzebub.

We walked in a forest filled with fruits that were the color of gold.

The sunlight reflected on the golden fruits and so it was very hot inside of the forest, even if I have resistance against heat, for some reason I could feel the sunlight burning through my body.

Looking at Beelzebub, I could see that it wasn't harming him at all, he continued walking without a care that I might soon die of heatstroke if we continue walking.

"Hey Beelzebub, isn't the heat bothering you at all?"

He didn't reply to my question, he continued walking like he didn't hear anything, and for some reason, he keep glancing in my direction.

It was suspicious, but I did my best to keep my composure to not make Beelzebub suspicious of me.

We trekked the forest for about a couple of minutes before Beelzebub stopped walking, I noticed him and stopped my track too.

"Are we here now Beelzebub?"

"Yes..." Beelzebub replied in an irritated voice, he looked at me with a distressed look, almost like he doesn't want me to see what was in front of us. "Haruki Hotaru, you're a kind person who cares about others more than yourself, that's what everyone liked about you but that's also why they're concerned about you. I ask you this, are you prepared to see something that might change your perspective of this era?"

I don't get what Beelzebub was saying, I know that I'm a selfless brat who cares about others more than myself, but isn't that normal for anyone who's sane?

Life is fragile, so we need someone else to support it. That's the basic fundamental of anyone's existence, whether it's humanity, demons, angels, or the Gods, no one can keep on relying on themselves alone, they need others to ensure that they won't break. That's what life is!

If you ask me if someone cares only for their own life and not others then that person is nothing but a hypocrite to society.

And that's what makes Haruki Hotaru me, I didn't save Ayame, because for my personal gain, I didn't save Luna just so she could think highly of me, and I didn't become King so that I could do everything, I did it because they're my people. I did it because I know for a fact that life is fragile, and that life can just get blown away like dust.

Yes... Life is just like dust, just one blow of the wind and it'll split apart without knowing that it did. I've seen it myself already...

Beryl Mimasaka and Spine Mimasaka, two people who loved me more than anyone else, I've seen them get blown away by the wind, which is why I won't let others become something pitiable as dust.

I know that this selflessness might cost me my life someday, it's the reason why everyone is worried about me. Ruri, I know for a fact that you hated me because for this exact reason, you wanted to protect me but I can't just keep on a blind eye as I watch my people suffer.

Because... "That's who I am Beelzebub, I'm a King and not a hypocrite, I work for my people and not for myself, and as a Hero, it is my job to maintain the peace of my beloved world, even if death and fate stop me, I won't bend!"

I shouted with pride as I said those words to Beelzebub, Beelzebub looking at me and giving me a smirk of approval. "I see, looks like we chose the right King and Hero to lead us."

"Right? I'm the greatest Hero and King, nothing can beat me from protecting what I love."

"Really, then I propose a challenge if you're truly the greatest King and Hero there is, a challenge that can mark you as both an honorable King and Hero, are you ready to take it?"

"Challenge? I can do that anytime, but you're forgetting that we need to get out of here first right? I'll do your challenge later after the war ended."

"Nope, you'll do it today. After all, that challenge I'm gonna give you is what we needed to get you and Luna out of here."

"Really? You should've told me earlier, so what it'll be? I'll show you why I'm the greatest!" I replied with a prideful smirk at Beelzebub.

I was still proud of myself from what I said earlier, that pride has filled me up, so I'm now energized to do anything.

Beelzebub let out a serious look and stared at me with dignity. "Then, can you kill a live person?"