The Beginning of the Challenge
Being in this place felt like simultaneously sinking down and floating up in the dark and cold sea water. I can only say that as this isn't my first time in this place. When I first came here, what I felt was just fear.
"…"
I have been here numerous times… always soaked in this cold and surprisingly calming place. Devoid of any noise, smell or any ill feeling.
It was as if I was robbed of my senses except for the feeling of being embraced by cold water and a faint waning light that peers through my tightly shut eyes.
"I…"
But unlike before when this would always be where my consciousness would languor while I am asleep, I don't intend to stay here for too long.
["I can sense it. One of them is coming here for you."]
"Good. Now then, Law."
["…"]
"Just like how I should do… as per the agreement we had back then."
["Understood."]
I am Ephraim Seliah Chronia. And through Spirit Law's authority and guidance, I am the Divine Challenger… to whom, the power to end this hidden endless war against the evils that mankind has conjured, was given.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"…"
I opened my eyes to see my surroundings wreathed in a crimson-red mist. Even the moonlight that pierced this thick fog made the moon seem like it is blood red.
"Hey! Hey! Are any of you alright?!"
"Answer me, guys! This fog is too thick!"
"Find each other and attach yourself onto our ropes! We have to get out of here, stat!"
The S.S.S agents that I stunned earlier woke up one by one and after being unable to make sense of their surroundings, decided to find each other so they can get out of this place that is exuding with Astra energy from me.
"Comms aren't working!"
"Phone signal is down too!"
"Don't waste your breath on them! Let's just follow our tracks back once we're complete!"
Because this field of blood mist is under my control, I've been opening up the places where they are located and connecting them with each other so they can quickly escape the area.
"Seventy-two! Seventy-two heads accounted for!"
"Alright! Looks like that's all of us!"
"Wait! What about Agent Chronia?! Is he here?!"
"…I am here! I am attached to the line!"
Even though I am not in the line, nor was I attached to the rope, I lied about being there just so they can leave already.
"Oh! Good thing we found you, sir! If that is all of us, let's head back now!"
"Agreed! I'll lead the way!"
Keeping an eye out for each other while there are ropes on their waists, the combat teams slowly headed back through the trail we passed by earlier and before long, are half-way back to safety.
"This is for the best… They don't have to get involved in this any more than this."
["Didn't you say that earlier before one of the Spirits of Death almost knocked you out?"]
"Yeah… Yes, I did."
["Are you saying it again to reiterate your resolve?"]
"I am… After all, I still have a word to keep to them."
As I was saying that, another line of people that are unknowingly following the line of S.S.S Agents are also crossing the thick fog I made in order to arrive to safety. This batch was the workers I promised to save last time which I found to be locked up outside of the Subspace after I broke it. I gave them a rope, so they won't lose each other in the fog and told them to follow the clear path out of the place.
"About earlier… who is that, Law? The guy who appeared that has the face of Miyazaki Koshiro."
["He identified himself as the Juror of the Dark… I heard him once before. I don't know him personally and it seems like he also doesn't know me firsthand since he didn't recognize that I am inhabiting your body."]
"But it does sound like he is aware that you are back."
["Because he said the end is near?"]
"Yeah. I connected the dots and the fact that I was finally able to fully use this form of mine after repressing it for so long can only mean that his words hold true."
["…"]
"If that title is to be taken literally… then if I am the Divine Challenger, that would only mean that I am fighting against a being whom, as you once told me, desires to be a deity."
I have to admit that the title sure sounds ugly… sacrilegious, even. Mother and Ate Risa would surely scold me after hearing that I attained such a title.
But when you think about it, the title of the Divine Challenger might mean something else. Like, being the one charged by heaven to challenge all evil. The Divine's Challenger, or something like that.
But instead of going on and on about this ridiculous thing, I focused on what would happen now that I openly left myself to be found and be fought by someone from the enemy camp.
["The aura of the one approaching us reeks too much… I believe this one would be the real deal."]
"Unlike before when it was just a Gardener candidate, I am facing a real Gardener now, huh?"
["Yes. And I think for this one, you would thoroughly enjoy fighting and defeating him."]
"You bet."
I stood up as the loud whirring of a helicopter passed by and landed at the opposite direction of where the non-Psychics went. With the mist on their level so dense, they would surely only hear is as a kind of unimportant echo. Perfect to convince them to never enter this place again while we are fighting.
["Just like we talked about, during the fight, I will not intervene so that you can properly display and use your powers as the Divine Challenger… so use the portion of my powers that I gave you earlier to your fill."]
"Good enough."
["I have no doubts about your combat ability given your craftiness and the amount of practice and experience you have put into yourself…"]
"…"
["So, win this not just for our shared goals… but also for the promises you gave, Ephraim."]
After his voice disappeared from my head, I sensed the aura that he has been detecting earlier. It was just one man who entered the misty area that I made, but his Astra energy is so huge and dizzyingly filthy in nature that I wanted to puke.
These were the times when I wonder if one's Psychic power somehow reflects one's morality and nature as a living being.
"What the hell happened here-"
"Welcome, Director Hamasaki."
"You-!"
"Or should I say… Gardener of the Miyazono Conglomerate and Vessel of a Lower Spirit, Hamasaki Satoshi."
From atop the stage, I hopped down and landed like a feather to the ground on my two feet by lightly manipulating the mist of blood around me to cushion my fall.
"How dare you… Do you know how hard we all worked for this?! This is preposterous!"
"Now that you say that, this event really does seem preposterous. Giving alcohol and narcotics to minors are heavy offenses… but organizing an openly sexual event with underage attendees…"
"Don't twist my words, you damned moron!"
"…You sure like to dance atop flames, don't you?"
All around us, lay the dead bodies of the event attendees whose souls was claimed earlier by the Juror of the Dark. Most of them are of an adolescent age, a clear indication that whatever this event would've turned out to be, it would be worthy of the name that Law called it as.
"Dar Fischa eu Platra."
"-!!!"
"Seems like you are aware of the true name of this "Festival" that you recreated from the instigation of that horrid beast of a spirit inside of you."
"What?! How did you know that he is-"
"As someone who has been made aware of the history of this gathering that you have revived from the lost ancient history of mankind… how can I simply dismiss this atrocious action in a time when it should never be allowed to be recreated again?"
"-!"
I outstretched my hand upwards and was about to create a Mental Subspace when he quickly did the same thing and initiated the creation of the Subspace under his own terms.
"
"…"
"
Instead of a normal, greyscale version of our surroundings devoid of other humans, the subspace was contorted into a room reminiscent to that of an entertainment area.
There was long table full of scrumptious food and liquor, a stage that has a few dancing poles similar to a brothel, a table with a few cards and casino chips, and many more objects unmistakably connected to worldly pleasures and carnality.
"…I did not expect to be brought here."
"Haha… HAHAHAHA!!!"
"…"
"For someone who spouted so much bravado earlier, you sure have more bark than bite! I was the one who made the Subspace and now that you are inside of my world, you no longer have any hope to win against me!"
I looked at him properly and saw that his face has trails of liquor, and his eyes are swollen due to the use of narcotics. If this subspace is, just like how he said, his world, then that only means that Law's remark earlier about me enjoying my fight against him is true.
"I don't know what kind of drug you took to delude yourself into believing that you will surely win just because you trapped me inside of your Subspace."
"What did you say?!"
"As far as I am concerned, I am not trapped here with you…"
"-!!!"
"You are trapped here with me."
"Why, you-?!!"
"Tell me, Gardener Hamasaki…"
I stretched out my bleeding hand to the side to summon my weapon from the rift where it is usually stored. Using my blood as the catalyst, it slowly formed itself into the intricately made spear wielded by Law.
"T-That…!"
"Should we settle this the easy way, or the hard way? Because in the end, you will just end up inside of this spear that pulsates with the desire to devour your filthy spirit."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Impossible… Utterly impossible!
"What… what is happening here?!"
"Oh-ho? You know about this weapon? Or should I say… does the Spirit who inhabits you know it?"
Why… why can't I stop shaking?!?!?!
This utterly frightening aura… This primal fear that is welling up inside of me when I don't know anything about it at all!
"Who on earth are you?!?!?!"
"Why don't you ask that rotten spirit that lives inside of you that question?"
"-!"
"After all, he surely still remembers how this spear almost slaughtered him to death the last time he and its true owner met each other in battle!"
"Hey… Hey!"
["…"]
"Tell me he is lying… Tell me that what he is saying isn't true!"
["…"]
"Damn it! Answer me!!!"
Why can't even my own spirit respond right now? Is he not talking, or can't he talk right now?!
"
"Going on the defensive, huh? That can only mean that the Spirit that inhabits you is aware of its fate now that he has sensed my power."
"What?"
"Come on, you boastful and soiled lower spirit... Don't disappear all of a sudden from your vessel by shaking in terror all alone inside of him! Show me the bluster you so willingly presented when you challenged his judgement back then!"
["NO!!!"]
"-?!"
Suddenly, my Spirit possessed half of my face and shouted something in pure terror. Even I can feel the sheer amount of fear present in his voice and how it made my body shake.
"Debauchery… what are you doing…?"
["NO! NEVER AGAIN! I WILL NOT FIGHT YOU AGAIN!!!"]
"…Why do you say so?"
["Don't smirk like that, you absolute monster! I saw what happened during the war… I saw you kill all of those people with not even a shred of mercy!"]
"What? This guy is-?!"
"That's right, Gardener…"
Suddenly, he stabbed the spear's rear end to the floor, making it stand by itself so that he can stand casually.
"I am sure that you and your fellow Gardeners are aware of the raid that happened in your central hideout in Chiba, yes?"
"You…! So those fools aren't the one who killed-"
"Correct. That was me… or at least, the body used for that Gardener Candidate's death was mine."
"Kh-!"
"I believe your people relied on the clues left behind in the laboratory and the defensive team around the ruins… The traces of Astra energy would be easy to identify using your data base. The Subspace can be easily analyzed as one made by a machine supplied by passive Astra energy emissions, further narrowing the people connected to the raid… But what is truly unexplainable is how one of the most promising Candidates in your latest batch of Seed Psykers just disappeared one day after going there."
No way… I didn't listen properly when Willy reported about it, but I sure remember hearing that one of the Candidates just completely disappeared after going to that place on an errand.
"So that was you-?!"
"Correct."
Finally learning that this person in front of me was the one who killed that guy, I gnashed my teeth and forced my Spirit to stop possessing me so I can fight with all of my strength.
"I will kill you! How dare you stand against our plans!"
"That's right… that's what I am waiting for!"
He kicked the spear on its rear end and caught it with his hands while I activated half of my full strength, making sure not to use it up entirely to conserve my powers.
"You will learn your place! I will drag you to your grave!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
After forcing him to show me his battle form, I activated my own powers and slowly reached for the portion of Law's power that he provided for me. With this, the usual brightly lit neon blue sheen on my eyes slowly darkened as my natural Astra energy was taken over by Law's own power.
"
After casting that ability to my own body, I immediately felt a slight dizziness as all of my red blood cells began to carry oxygen to their highest possible capacity, supplying all of my body with the appropriate resources for this fight.
"…Let's go. I will enjoy this very much!"
"RAAAHHH!!!"
Both of us lunged forward, precisely calculating our moves in order to be the first to deal a blow to each other.
"
"Not so fast!"
"Wha-?!"
He stretched out his hand, probably attempting to create a field of high inward pressure between us so I would be sucked in and crushed completely. However, I swung my spear to the core of the attraction, dispelling the field instantly and grazed the field of outward pressure that surrounds him, making a tear on it that I immediately used to directly attack him.
"Eat this!"
"Guhak-!"
"Another one!
"RUAH!"
"
After stabbing the spear into the ground to act as a support for my body that is still stuck in my momentum, I swung a side kick to his flank and using my other foot, kicked him on the solar plexus point.
"
"Hup!"
"Hyuk! Hak!"
He casted his ability, forming a repulsive force between us so he can gain distance after his failed attempt to trade of blows with me.
"Are you shaken?"
"You shut up, swine! Don't act so smug just because you got lucky!"
"…"
The second kick that I used on him was enhanced with my blood-manipulation ability. It carried all of the force that my leg muscles can muster and focused all of it on the center of his torso where the solar plexus point is located.
"
"You're casting that again? I already showed you that I can easily destroy that shell around you."
"You shut your mouth! I just got careless! This time, I will make sure that you are-"
"
"Drat-!"
"
With the spear on my hand, I lunged forward with great force that the objects in the subspace was thrown away in all kinds of direction as I passed by them.
"Damn it!"
"Hiyah-!"
"
"Useless!"
"Ick-!"
He casted one of his abilities, forming a wall of outward pressure that was supposed to stop or at least slow me down, but with my spear being ahead of me, it ripped through the barrier and would've also caught him if he didn't jump back in time.
"I guess it's time to get serious…"
"What…?"
"Now that my own latent Astra energy is no longer my source of power, I can break the usual limits of my abilities…"
I turned to him who began to attract all of the objects in his Subspace that wasn't destroyed yet and with the slight reflection of the glow of my eyes on my spear's blade, I confirmed the end of my transition into using Law's power fully.
"You… So you really are-"
"Right… So, if you don't want to die in an instant…"
"-!"
"You better show me all that you've got, Gardener."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The entire Subspace of Indulgences was a mess.
The casino and buffet tables are split in half simply because of the immense force of his charge. And even the stage area was shattered after our initial trade of blows.
"I screwed up… I screwed up real bad!"
Cold sweat went down my face as I saw him looking at me with his brightly lit crimson red eyes that was accompanied with a smirk that can only belong to the most wicked of beings.
"Hey… Hey!"
["…"]
"Stop screwing with me and lend me your power!"
["…"]
"Don't just shake in fear there and give me your Spirit Weapon and Battle form!"
["This is hopeless. Just kneel down and ask him for a painless death."]
"Screw that! I ain't rolling over here! And you, where did your caprice and pride flew off?!"
["You don't know him! Even if I give you all of my power, you will still die!"]
"None of that can be assured unless we try! If you are not willing to fight him, then give me your power and I will fight him for my own sake!"
["…"]
"I will not die here… I must not die here! I still have a paradise to make for all of humanity… I still have a place to take from those arrogant bastards!"
After arguing with my Spirit internally, I felt a warm feeling on my abdomen.
["I am giving all of my power to you. Do with it as you wish."]
"Finally!"
["But let me tell you this in advance, Satoshi…"]
"…"
["I will not be responsible for your death."]
After saying all of that, I felt Debauchery's consciousness fade and a slight headache attacked me for a moment.
"So, he finally conferred to you his power… he even melded with your body and gave you that form."
"This is…"
I looked at my hands which has a pair of daggers that must've been his Spiritual weapon. And as the headache dissipated, I felt a jolt of power that wells up inside of my body, a sense of power that made the corners of my mouth rise in a joyous smirk.
"Now that we are even, I can finally shut you up!"
"Is that so?"
"Your spear… what are you-"
"I'm making this even, as you just said."
"-!"
"After all, how can I enjoy a beating you to a pulp if I can accidentally kill you in an instant?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
As soon as the transition to the use of Law's power was finished, I felt lightheaded… as if I was drunk or has been sapped of all of my energy.
But one thing remained in my mind as I waned back and forth into relative consciousness and lightheadedness.
"I will finish your filthy existence."
I let go of my spear which made it disintegrate into fine particles of blood. This made the Gardener tense up as I spoke out and even told him that I will surely enjoy ending his life.
"
*Pyik! Tak*
"-?!"
"Hahaha!!! Didn't see that coming, don't cha?!"
As that miniscule yet highly attractive point formed in the middle of the Subspace, one of the shattered casino tables behind me was lifted and was about to hit me.
"Hyup!"
"You're not going away!!!"
"Again?!"
When I jumped up, the other half of the casino table was also lifted by the attraction core and again, would be colliding with me.
"
"Watch your back!"
"Gak-!"
Even though I cleanly split the casino table in half using a kick, both of the halves were sent back straight to me, hitting me with enough force to hit the wall of the Subspace.
"
"What on-?!"
"Hahaha… BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"Darn it!"
After being pinned on a wall, he swung his daggers around and casted an ability that suddenly shot out the crumpled-up objects straight to my position like a shotgun's buckshot round.
"
"Payback, you plebian!"
"Wha-?!"
*Prug-! Dug! Dug! Dug!*
The blood shield that I casted to protect myself from the flying objects was shattered and before I can recast another one, the tables, utensils, bowls of food and even a whole slot machine peppered me and my surroundings.
"Where's your bark now, huh? Come on! I thought you said that you can easily kill me!"
"…"
"I'll count to three. If you're not gonna show your face until then, I'll rip you to shreds with my bare hands!"
Inside the wreckage of the objects that was thrown towards me, I sat down silently, breathing in a ragged manner as if I was exhausted.
"One!"
"Haah… the headache really hits hard in the start."
"Two!"
"Well then, play time's over."
"Three!"
*BAK!*
"WHA-?!"
"Come on… let me breathe a bit before you spout stuff like that."
*Tagak-!*
He held the daggers on his hand in an interloping manner, probably preparing another attraction core to completely crush me back there. But I shot out towards him and before he can even notice, I placed my hand over his face and pushed him back straight into the floor.
"Uuuuu…"
"Stand up… we're not finished."
"You…"
*Pyuuu!*
"Hup!"
While still stuck on the crater where I pushed him down into, he summoned another attraction core at where I was standing, and I narrowly dodged it by jumping back.
"How did you… I was sure that-"
"Unlike you who had his Spirit meld into your body completely, I and my Spirit are still separated and not in synch with each other."
"But this power… you can't be telling the truth."
"Oh, I sure do."
Slowly, he stood up from where I plunged him down to the floor and he looked at me with bloodshot eyes that used to glow with an ochre color but is now pure jet black.
"
"-?!!"
"HAHAHA!!! I'm done with being cautious! Try to break free of this one, you fool!"
In the middle of the room, he knelt down and plunged the two daggers to the floor and in just a single moment, five attraction cores sputtered into existence and slowly, attracted each other until the finally melded.
"This amount of force… Urk-!"
"That's right! Face the attraction force that can rival an actual black hole!"
"Darn it!"
Being pulled into the center of the room, my mind raced for a way to get out of this predicament.
"HAHAHA!!! HUHAHAHAHA!!!"
"-! That's right!"
I opened my bleeding palm and from it came out blood that I forcefully sent to the other side of the room.
"Wha-?!"
"For someone like you who uses such a complex and destructive ability, you sure don't know how to properly utilize them!"
"What are you doing?! Let go of me, damn it!"
My blood formed into a rope-like shape and wrapped around his ankle. With us connected, I planted my feet on the wall and jumped in an angle that goes at the same direction as the whirlpool-like suction of the attraction core.
"RAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"I said let go of me!"
I pulled him in, using him as my counterweight so that I can ride the momentum and be as far away from him as possible.
"Ah! Finally!"
"NOOO!!!"
"Cancel that thing if you want to stay alive!"
"I will kill you after this!"
I snapped the blood rope that attaches him to me and told him that if he didn't want to die from being crushed by the things he made, he should cancel it out immediately.
"
He crossed the daggers to cast an ability that instead of directly cancelling the five attraction cores, sucked them in and disappeared into thin air.
"Ahaha! So, you still have a sense of self-preservation, huh?"
"You… YOU!!!"
"I am aware of how pissed you are that you haven't beaten me yet… so let's end this now… let's go all out."
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I'm done with this!
"Why… why can't I kill you in one strike?!"
How can he endure for this long?! My abilities attract and repel not only objects but also the floating Astra energy on the atmosphere! He's not supposed to still be up and fighting right now!"
"Unless… Unless if he really is-"
No… I don't believe that. He's bluffing, he's certainly bluffing!
"I will end this… I will end this now!"
I closed my eyes to focus on my Astral form and deactivated all of the limits that I placed on myself earlier when my intention was to win this fight by tiring him out.
"You will not come out of here alive!"
"That is my line."
"-?!"
"Tell me, Gardener… Are you afraid to die?"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Earlier, the feeling of transitioning fully to use Law's power made my head pound in pain until it disappeared as I got used to it. But now that it has already been almost half an hour since then, my Astral form is reaching its limits.
"Gotta end this now before I go insane."
I whispered that to myself before clasping my hands tightly to prepare an ability of mine.
"You will not come out of here alive!"
"That is my line."
"-?!"
"Tell me, Gardener… Are you afraid to die?"
After asking those words to him, I raised my right hand and casted that skill.
"
"How-?!"
"
"-!!!"
"
Unlike before when it was only Law who casted this ability to take over a Subspace and shape it into this room, I now had the Astra energy capacity and authority to summon this place under my own behest.
"How…? How did you do this?!"
"Enough questions. Only I, have the authority to do that in this place."
I waved my bleeding hand and out of the blood droplets, materialized the spear that was lent to me by Law.
"You-"
"Upon this hall of marble, you shall be judged by one with authority. The boundless expanse of the outer heavens shall be your jury and the golden floor of this room shall show the true you."
"No… It can't be…"
He looked down on the pure golden floor of the Subspace where he is reflected and instantly, he fell down like a puppet whose strings was cut off completely.
"My name is Ephraim Seliah Chronia! Vessel of Spirit Law! And as the one who accepted the role of the Divine Challenger, give me the authority to uproot the deep-seated evil that has planted itself in this world!"
I threw my spear into the reflection casted by the Gardener and it showed me what was happening inside of him.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I wasn't always like this…
I used to just be a normal boy who is worlds apart from alcohol, drugs and prostitutes.
As far as I know, I never really wanted those in the first place.
"To me, you are just the heir of the Hamasaki Fortune… I accepted you as my son, and you will one day receive all the things that I so painstakingly earned through my hard work and sacrifices."
"Father… I-"
"Don't you dare call me "father", you bastard son of that bitch."
"-!!!"
"…It's that whore's own lustfulness that brought her to that hideous and crippled form. It's fortunate that she was able to give birth to you before the infection took over her body… and for me, I'm glad I was busy enough in the company to avoid bedding her after she had a multitude of men satisfy her uncontrollable itch."
But that day, when Father… No, Mr. Hamasaki learned of my mother's rampant infidelity and during her sexual escapades, contracted the MB2 virus, he mercilessly made me watch from the balcony how the Health Ministry's workers dragged my mother out of our mansion while she's shouting in a tone of mixed pain and ecstasy.
"P-P-Please, sir! Just once! Even just once! I will even pay you! Just the tip is-"
"Hey! Can you tape her mouth?! The maids and guards are looking at us right now!"
"C-Certainly, sir!"
I am already aware of much of this… But I never expected to be here to personally see her being taken away while Mr. Hamasaki just watched with an amused expression on his face.
"Listen to me, Satoshi."
"Y-Yes, sir?"
"Even though we don't share any blood relation, nor will I ever accept that we are father and son, I will give you this one thing to keep in mind since you will one day inherit all that I own…"
"…"
"Most people are indistinguishable from animals… hell, some of them already accept that as truth. They are all slaves to their desires of food, drink and sex. Almost all of them work like slaves to people above them, and once they received their pay for their labors, they will become slaves to all kinds of things."
"What do you mean, sir…?"
"Some of them will spend almost all of their salary on liquor, drowning themselves in alcohol in a belief that it will free them from their hardships. But simply taking a temporary escape from reality does not solve any of their plight."
"…"
"Some of them turn to illicit substances. Narcotics that give them a sense of elation and rush that they believe is their hard-earned opportunity to explore their selves and escape from the hustle and bustle of real life… but even if they know that it will eventually overtake their lives and kill them, almost none of them will stop because it has already melded itself to their lives."
After saying the first two, he then held my head and made me turn to face mother again who is being restrained inside of the medical van.
"And then… there are those animals within human skins that deserve to suffer this hell borne illness. Animals who open their legs or moves their hips with no sense of fidelity or morality."
"Please, sir! Just the tip! Just the tip can calm down the-"
"It's locked! Let's go!"
After the medical van drove out of our front yard, Mr. Hamasaki held my chin to force me to look up as he looked down on me.
"Most people are animals, Satoshi. Almost none of them deserve to be respected or viewed as humans. Given all that I have said, do you know what separates humans from animals?"
"I-I d-d-don't, sir!"
"This is the answer… Animals are slaves to what gives them pleasure. But humans… they have a brain that allows them to enslave pleasure that makes them the master of the animals who hungers for it."
He let go of my chin in a forceful manner, pushing me back lightly as I almost stumbled down in both weakness and fear in front of him.
"Your mother had hundreds of men whom she had relations with… No one knows who your true father is, and I don't intend to find out whoever swine was responsible for giving life to you…"
"M-Mister Hamasaki…"
"So, if you don't want to follow your mother whom I threw away as soon as she showed me that she is but a lustful beast, prove to me that you are a human worthy of my approval."
"…"
I grew up under his stead, watching him use the insatiable desires of others to his own end. As someone who will one day own his liquor company, I was made aware of the journey that our alcohol takes from the brewery to the mouth of whomever alcoholic desires it.
He also secretly dabbled on the crystal meth and flakka drug trade from the mainland, supplying it to low-income neighborhoods where they are quickly bought and taken by the residents who steadily lost their sense of reality and starved themselves just to afford their next dose.
And before our company and even the Miyazono corporation was drove off from that region, I oversaw his brothels and sex rental bars in Okinawa that reined in elites of the foreign navy and the local garrisons that allowed him to anchor his influence until the mass protest and arsons in the islands.
Just like how he put it before, most people are indistinguishable to animals. Being slaves to what gives them pleasure, they will surely end up like beasts in the end.
"What is the meaning of this, you bastard?"
"…Don't worry so much, Mr. Hamasaki. I am keeping my head above everything on this one."
"Alcohol, narcotics and women… who do you think you are fooling with this show of your beastly desires?"
"I am not enjoying this because of these objects, Mr. Hamasaki."
"…"
"I am the heir of the Hamasaki Fortune. As providers of all kinds of consumable items for pleasure, I believe it is just right that I provide it to the best of my abilities."
"That…"
"After all, aren't you the same? Your joy is not on earning the money from these animals' addictions, nor is it the sense of superiority with being the one who provides them the things that enslaves them to the pleasure it gives."
"…"
"You… and because of your teachings, even I… both of us are truly pleased with seeing them suffer and lose their lives in pursuit of meaningless and temporary pleasures."
That was who I really am deep inside… A sadist hedonist that revel on the bottomless desire of these sub-human beasts for the next big thing that can entertain them.
From that kind of outlook in life, I attracted the attention of a mysterious being that personifies those pleasures and became his Vessel after acquiring the powers given by the Miyazono corporation's Psychic society.
With my financial and influential standing, I became one of the Gardeners of the group and with the increased power and almost limitless immunity from any repercussions from my actions, I decided to spread my reach from the highest people to the lowermost beggars of society.
I shaped the high-class sections of New Tokyo academy. Forming them into loyal lapdogs by fulfilling all kinds of rotten and lecherous desires that they have in a party that Debauchery once spoke about called "The Festival of Flesh".
During this massive party, I discovered that I can gain more psychic power and maybe one day, overthrow those Gardeners who are stronger than me. Because of that, I made sure to keep all of this under the wraps so that no one else can imitate what I am doing to gain more power.
I killed the detectives and prosecutors who caught wind of the first festival after they intercepted the truck where the kidnapped dropouts from the school was to be sent to the Festival area so they can repay their school fees.
I silenced the reporters who almost uncovered the truth behind the festival area in the forest. Most of them cooperated using money and threats to their family, but some were too hard-headed and needed to be buried along with the things they were about to give out.
But one that I can never forget is a young man who crashed the last day of the festival to save two of the female dropouts and let them escape by stating his name that caught the attention of all the Gardeners during that party including me.
"Miyazaki Hiro… or should I say, Subject 32-C."
"…"
He is the one that Himari-sama has been trying to find all this time. The one that she feared the most as he carries the proof of our lawless actions and misdeeds.
"Don't worry, *********. We'll make sure that your name will forever be remembered as the name of a fool who won't accept the paradise we are making for humanity."
"We don't know where you hid your other ********* siblings… but when we catch them, we'll make sure to enjoy seeing them suffer for you and your father's insolence!"
"All of you…"
"""Huh?"""
"Good luck figuring out how to make more of us ********** when you don't have this anymore. Immortality through cloning? Eat crap, you hedonists! If I'm going to die, you're also going to die one day!"
"That flash drive-!"
"Shoot him before he-"
The flash drive that contains his father's entire work was destroyed that day by him. The way to make humanity immortal was lost in but a single moment by him in an act of defiance.
Miyazaki Hiro… I will never forget his name.
He ruined my fun, destroyed the one thing that can raise my standing amongst the Gardeners… but worse of all, brought me to this current situation that I am in.
["Repent. That is the only way I will can justifiably give you a painless death."]
["I have already conceded my life when I saw the symbol of your authority which is that spear."]
["…So, you truly did gain a sense of dread after he and you fought just like he told me earlier…"]
["I cannot change how I was born. It was my ill-fate that I was born as such a creature to a race of beings whose desires will one day bloom into boundless depravity and absolute evil. I have no excuses nor odes to give to my actions."]
["How about you then, Satoshi? Looking back on these memories, you sure would at least feel a sense of regret that this is the way you lived your life."]
"I have nothing to regret or confess to…"
["…"]
"We are humans. We are imperfect beings who has the freedom to do what is wrong because it feels satisfying… No matter how long you'll show these memories of mine and ask me to repent, I will not bend my knee and say that I was in the wrong."
["Because you are free?"]
"Yes… Because I am free."
["Then how about those people whose lives you trampled over and tormented with your actions? Were they free just as you?"]
"…"
["Even I, the Vessel of Law, admits and accept the value of freeness in humans. They have a conscience to consult on what to do and what not to do. They have a free will to choose as how they wish. But just like a certain man once said… Your freedom stops at the freedom of others."]
I raised my face and looked at Debauchery who was in chains and is silently kneeling in front of this guy who is holding his crimson-colored spear.
["Total and unbound freedom is nothing but chaos… but by being able to control one's sense of freedom and cherishing the value of that freedom, one can live a life in joyous order… just like how it would've been if the Day of Ruin never happened."]
"Do it… Just end it."
["As you wish."]
In one stab of his spear, Debauchery's Spirit core was shattered, and he died. After he dissipated into particles of light, the combat form and the two daggers on my hand disappeared. With this, I am now nothing more but a powerless human.
"Before you end me, I have one question…"
["What is it?"]
"Why did you stop when you saw that guy die a year ago?"
["I wanted to know the truth behind his death… I know that Hiroshi isn't the kind to give in to pain and sadness when he still has his siblings that depend on him."]
"…"
["Now that I know the truth, I can finally bid him a peaceful eternal rest and his siblings, a proper answer that they will one day understand and love him for."]
"You lot are boring and monotonous. Always spouting things like "we are friends" or "I will save you if you are in trouble"… Seriously, what would you show if you are asked what you treasure in your life?"
After I so haughtily asked that question that I meant as my last insult to him, I expected him to go on another lengthy speech about why I am somehow wrong. But instead, I was met by his calm expression and tone as he answered with a single statement.
"I will show them the people who love me and the ones I hold dearest to my heart. Unlike selfish memories of bliss, I believe that what I said is worth more than anything else in this world."
"Heh… Hahaha…!"
"…"
"Damn it… Why haven't I thought about that before?"
I can only laugh after that before he brought down his spear and cut off my head.
But unlike my drugged or drunk chuckles that was caused by someone's pain or misfortune, this one last laugh came from the very bottom of my heart…
A laugh that was a mix of both joy, regret and eventually as my consciousness disappeared… satisfaction.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
After finishing the deed, I broke the Subjugation of the subspace and with me being the victor, I was also freed of the Subspace that he made earlier.
"…"
I returned to the real world and saw that the blood mist that covers the forest are slowly dissipating after I deactivated my connection to Law's power and returned to my normal self.
"Greetings, Enemy psychic…"
"You are…"
"Pay me no mind… I am nothing but the designated servant of Young Master Hamasaki Satoshi."
In front of me, an old man stands beside the now lifeless body of the Gardener I defeated in battle. He knelt down on one knee to touch his neck and confirm his death, and seeing that he died with his eyes open, closed them with great care before clasping his hands in a short show of reverence.
"I must say… I was truly satisfied with the fight that he gave me. Not a single moment in our battle did he pedal back on his beliefs and instead, came towards me with such great force and resolution that although we don't share the same morals, I still wish to respect his strength as a fighter."
"Is that so? Ahahaha! It truly moves my heart to hear someone give such a compliment to the Young Master. Although I must say… it does seem strange for the one who slew him to give such a wholehearted comment."
"Yeah. I said that I respect his unmovable beliefs… but as for those beliefs… I have an issue with it that cannot be settled with words alone!"
As I spoke those words, I activated my Psychic form and let him know that by looking straight at him with my eyes that glows with a bright neon blue color.
"I am already aware of the answer, but for the sake of making it official, let me ask this question."
"…"
"Are you really going against us who wish to free humanity from all that limits its existence?"
"I am."
"…Is that so? I believe you are aware of how dangerous it would be… your family can be killed with a single Gardener's whim… those near you can face unspeakable pain and torment… and even you, can face a fate so horrendous that you will wish to just die."
"I do."
"You have spoken your answer... You have sealed your fate."
He picked up the corpse of Satoshi and after giving a polite bow, turned around to bring his Young Master to their helicopter.
"Old man… I have a small favor, if you are willing to give me one."
"What is it?"
"Say these words to the other Gardeners."
"…"
I closed my eyes to speak using that language that only I among humans can speak and surprisingly enough, Spirits can understand.
"Dar Suili arpe Regora wai kore… Entu Aila, Ispiri Law entu dar Divia Chala wai bor lai tot brak ala eu iyo tot ware iyo disera tot sagra."
"That language…"
"This is from me and Spirit Law… We will await them in wherever they wish to die at."
After saying all of that, I turned around and left the scene, leaving my permanent mark on this hidden war of Psychics for the sake of the fate of this world.
And with that, I am left with one less person to dispose if I wish to fulfill my role as the Divine Challenger and be there at the place where all of this shall end.
"Now then… let the war begin."
No other conflict can best the one that I have just triggered. For this war… would probably be I against the entire world.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Daybreak after the battle, the head butler of the CEO of the Miyazono corporation came to the office of his master bearing a heavy news to report to her.
"Lady Himari… Gardener Hamasaki is-"
"He's dead?"
"H-Has someone else reported it already, my lady? P-please pardon my tardiness!"
"No. You don't panic, William… You are the first to report it to me."
"I-Is that so…? But then, how did you-"
"It's evident… Whether this is the work of those yakuza psychics or the cult of the death gods, it is apparent that they will come to attack Satoshi-kun during his annual festival."
The young woman was sitting on her luxurious swivel chair and looking out of her window, away from the direct sight of her butler.
"The other Gardeners are calling for a meeting. They wish to hear your opinions and instructions. Lady Aishi herself has come to the meeting chamber and are facilitating the sorting of the data the Satoshi's designated Replicant butler has conveyed about the events."
"I see… I will be there in a moment. Leave me alone for now."
"…Before that, Lady Himari. I wish to ask something first."
"What is it?"
"Are you alright?"
After being asked that, the young woman became silent for a moment before answering briefly.
"I am alright, William… But I just lost a dear friend and a valuable comrade. I believe it is normal for me to desire silence and solitude for now after such an event."
"…I understand, my lady. I shall henceforth take my leave."
After hearing his master's reply, he went out of the office and closed the door tightly behind him. With now no one in the room to hear her or see her, the young woman finally turned around to take a piece of paper towel to wipe her tears caused by her grief regarding the recent death among her rank.
"We were never in good terms, Satoshi-kun… but you are still an indispensable piece to my dream and my promise to humanity."
The young woman who finally ceased her sobbing stood up and looked out of the window again. But this time, instead of looking down on the people below, she now looked at the picturesque view of Mt. Fuji from her office.
"He has returned… and he bears just as much ill will as he used to before."
Her hold on her arms tightened as if she is anxious about something.
"It has been a few thousand years since that fateful day, Law… this is the world of humans, and it shall be as such for all of eternity."
And as she strode out of the room, there was but a single statement on her lips.
"I will be there on the day of reckoning, Law… and this time, I will end you just like how I ended all of them who stood against us who desired freedom from your rule."