Chapter: 98. 0-Rank Participation Record – 『End Disease』 (3)
“Hahaha! Bring on more, bring on more!
Our plague doctor needs people!
Come on, gather around!”
“The term ‘plague doctor’ feels a bit off, though.”
“If you want to attract attention, this is better!”
The uncle, swinging his hammer and destroying everything, was laughing like he was having a grand old time.
He didn’t even think I was lying or deceiving myself; it was genuinely straightforward and simple movement.
He clearly asked for people to gather. He wanted them all in one spot to hear my words before it was too late. However, that certainly didn’t mean to create such mayhem.
“What the heck is that crazy guy doing!”
“Requesting support! An awakener is abducting people while destroying the city•••
“Stop wearing such annoying outfits and come here. You need to be treated.”
Not the usual tearing of fabric, but the sound of leather being ripped apart echoed in my ears.
From the soldier who was shooting the infected people.
Those wearing thick clothes and helmets to avoid ash had their clothes ripped away by the uncle’s hands, exposing their bodies to the ash and starting the infection.
“What are you doing! Are you trying to kill us•••
“Enough. Calavera!”
“Can’t you just knock out the soldiers? Controlling the living isn’t really my style.”
“You’ve killed those who can be treated, so they should experience as much pain, right? If there are allied soldiers mixed in, they won’t suddenly bombard us.”
“Hmmm. For you, that’s quite a decent idea. Continue.”
As he spoke, the tall guy raised his hand, and a translucent circle flowed out from the soldiers’ mouths.
It was sucked into the white skull decoration hanging on his waist, and then—
“I can’t help but find that fascinating. If it’s not psychological…”
“I told you many times. It’s about subjugating souls.”
“If I can’t see the soul, how can I believe it?”
“There’s no meaning in explaining to a non-believer. That’s just how souls work.”
The soldiers joined the long line of groups behind the two.
Everyone was stripped of their white circles by the Calavera’s command and were moving according to his orders.
Like puppets, with expressionless faces, matching the rhythm as they went step by step.
“It’s a good thing I heard about emotion-based diseases from that kid. Thanks to that, I can suppress this. I’m glad to help.”
“I admit that. It’s good you’re here. Emotion, huh? How would you know that?”
The two men in front of me were devastatingly granting my wish.
Those unwilling to come out were dragged out, buildings destroyed, whether infected or not, extracting what is called souls to suppress their reason.
Clearly, that action was brutally reckless. Even if this disease was successfully treated, they would be criticized and become the objects of resentment.
After all, they were also already being cursed as awakeners; if they wielded power so recklessly and caused chaos, it could only mean trouble.
But. That was the power I had always wanted.
To forcibly suppress those who torment me and deny my existence, making them follow my words.
A bad power that allows me to do good deeds.
“…Can I ask something?”
“What is it?”
“I welcome any questions. What kind of question is it?”
“Why don’t you uncles use that power freely and just go anywhere?”
I had heard many stories.
The group that the uncle and brother belonged to. The graves of awakeners and soldiers maintaining the frontlines far away from this place.
Even when talking about that, both of them had smiles on their faces, but I could feel it. They too were suffering like me, wanting help. They carried the mindset that it was futile to scream desperately to be saved.
These people, they didn’t look base but were just like me.
“If you’re an uncle, you can go anywhere, right? And brother, you can dominate people and make them move. So why…”
“Why am I an uncle and he’s a brother?”
“Probably because I look younger.”
“Bull. Anyone can see I’m younger.”
“The outer appearance doesn’t prevent the decay inside, does it?”
They started arguing again. It seemed like they were enjoying it.
“Please don’t fight…”
Perhaps they were trying to listen to my words, the two began to ponder quietly.
“Ah. What was it? Why are we doing this as awakeners? We have power, right?”
“No, why don’t you just finish that story? Don’t we have a means of escape?”
“Huh? Is that so? But I’m not done talking. Maybe you wouldn’t know.”
“We can flee.”
The two men chatted away while moving their feet. Destroying the city and gathering more people. Continuing to debate to find an answer to my question.
“In the end, that’s it. If I drop out now, someone else dies.”
“To summarize, that’s correct. I feel similarly.”
“That’s right. I don’t want to see others die. Even if I’m cursed and not treated well, it’s just how it is. Talking about it like this, it really is stupid of us.”
“An example of what happens when the world’s foolish gain great power. Everyone’s an idiot.”
The answer after a long discussion between the two wasn’t much. Just that they didn’t want to see others die. Such an absurdly simple reply.
Neither justice, mindset, nor sense of duty. It was plain. Just a simple wish.
Thinking that there’d be a circle, I fell into an indescribable feeling of disgust.
Despite having powers that far surpassed mine, could those two really move using that? If I had the same power… probably…
“But you’re just the same, right?”
“Don’t you think? You’ve been living with so many scars just so you wouldn’t see others die.”
“Well, don’t worry too much. Once this is over, we’ll figure something out. There are a few ways to retire quickly.”
“That’s classified information, Crimson Hammer. They’ve been forcibly drafting awakeners from above, so if they find out we’re retiring quickly…”
“Ah… was that so? I can’t tell anyone. It’s a secret. Whatever happens, you could stop being an awakener and live like an ordinary woman.”
The uncle said it with an expression as if it didn’t concern him at all.
Even with that, he acted as if he were a stranger to it all.
…But what does normal even mean?
Even as I was thinking, the work of gathering people continued.
“I think we’ve gathered enough?”
“Ten thousand. It’s easy to say, but it’s truly a daunting number.”
“I think controlling them is more impressive on your part. Ten thousand? Even specializing in the mind wouldn’t make it doable.”
“I’m barely managing my capacity. The only reason it’s possible is that I ordered them to follow without thinking.”
The two said that and looked down. A crowded open space filled with people. And in the only building left standing above that space, us.
The uncle swung his hammer, collapsing buildings to create the open space, now covered thinly in ashes, turning gray, while the people existed here and there, covered in gray with dull expressions.
Can I do this?
Just a moment ago, I thought that looking at the two would surely work, but as I faced this many people, fear started rising in my heart.
What if I fail again? Am I really going to kill all these people? The fear consuming those thoughts.
What calmed my trembling emotions was—
“Can you do it?”
The uncle’s hand on my shoulder and his calm voice.
…I have to.
They’ve trusted me up to this point and followed me here, so I need to repay that.
Even if it goes wrong.
“Then, I will return the souls of the people. Please get ready.”
Clatter. Clatter.
The skull on his waist clicked, and numerous white something soared into the air.
The gray sky turned bright white again, and the gray city was dyed white by the waves of souls.
The beautiful souls spread outwards, searching for their owners beneath our feet.
“What’s this!”
“Why are we here!”
“Help! Infection…”
“Don’t come near! I’m still infected… Aaaaah!”
Chaos began.
The cries of many people.
Voices filled with the fear of death.
The final breaths of dying people.
The struggles to live, even if they have to be killed.
All of that melded into great confusion.
This is harder than expected.
“Please! Listen!”
I raised my voice to resist it, but the people wouldn’t look this way.
It wasn’t that they couldn’t hear me. The two had brought speakers from the military for this purpose, I’m sure. It’s just that there wasn’t anyone willing to listen to me.
“Everyone. You can be saved. We can treat you! Please, listen to my words!”
I can heal them.
The moment those words spread, a brief calm enveloped the open space.
“You can heal us…?”
“Aren’t those guys the ones who brought us here?”
“They’re the culprits!”
Ten thousand gazes converged.
Certainly. This number must be correct. The maximum number I can treat.
At first, I thought it would be fine. I thought it was just those who tormented me multiplied by dozens.
But that was my misunderstanding. Ten thousand was a different kind of resource.
Even without the blizzard and violence, the number was suffocating. Yet, behind me were those stronger than those ten thousand ready to protect me. Therefore—
“This disease is born from my story… So! Please, listen to me. Let’s hold hands together and wish. This disease can be treated…!
If everyone’s hearts are lacking, let’s gather everyone’s hearts—
Then, the healing will spread in chain reactions. This is a disease that starts from the heart.
If the majority can realize that—
Everything will be resolved.
If I can’t believe in healing alone, let’s borrow the power of numerous others—
“After saying all that…”
“Shall we give it a try?”
Perhaps it was because they were sensing my words or perhaps it was simply because everything was already at its worst. As a flicker of hope sprouted, the people couldn’t even perceive the slowing progress of the epidemic, and they listened to my words.
Slowly, they began to hold each other’s hands, for the sake of healing.
“I think it might turn out better than expected.”
…It’s still too early to think that way.
Just as the noise began to settle, when people started to listen to my words slowly —
“Shut up! You think saying that is the plan? You’re the one, right? The one who gathered people, claiming to treat them, only to spread the disease!”
That can’t be true. That person was healed and went home. The outbreak could not possibly be my fault—
“No! That person was healed…!”
“Shut up! You idiot!”
The uncle interrupted me mid-sentence.
Why?
“That girl gathered people?”
“Then were they all gathered to spread the infection…?”
“If she had gathered people from day one, wouldn’t those be the culprits?”
The end had begun.
An end that began from my words.
Now, the people couldn’t trust me.
Even if those people were treated—
I was still the awakener who spread the infection and became the root cause.
Those I had treated forgave me. I thought everyone would do the same.
They felt my touch and found peace.
But these people are different.
Ash is swirling.
The last vestige of hope vanishes as the area filled explosively with infections. Ash is swirling.
The ash that was once a person.
Throwing stones toward the top of the building—
with pouring venom.
Ash is swirling.
…What should I do? Should I knock them all out?
“For now, let’s evacuate Al’Riv and find another way…”
Right. Al’Riv. My name. No, the name I received as an awakener.
I’ve already forgotten what my original name was.
“Uncle, do you know the origin of my name?”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
At this moment, I just want someone to remember my name.
“Libya. Once a goddess. A goddess who ate children, once noble.”
Thus, I too, having inherited that name, have the right.
“From my blood as a child, healing will begin.”
I sliced my finger, feeding my blood.
I tore my flesh, collecting my blood.
My delicate face would easily bleed when scratched with a fingernail.
But now, it’s not enough.
“So, here, everyone can be healed.”
Because people are gathering.
I bid farewell to the uncle and brother and threw myself toward the plaza.
From high to low.
As the two reached out their hands, it was already too late. Perhaps they didn’t expect me to do something like this.
The uncle rapidly approached, but it was already too late.
“You idiot!”
I have to die for others to live.
That’s what I was born for.
One sacrifice and the lives of hundreds of thousands.
I too, like the uncle, am just sacrificing myself.
(Do you really want that?)
Time stretches.
My body touches the ground.
I can feel that sensation and voice, but it doesn’t matter.
I’m going to die now.
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