Chapter 91 – The Lord of Despair and Hatred (1)
“You’re really roaming around with fire in your eyes. Even more than the magical girls. Looks like they’re competing with the magical girls entirely.”
“That’s right. I don’t know why, but they seem to be trying to drive the magical girls out since they obtained power. Using the monsters as an excuse.”
“But from my perspective, those guys are just lying all the time.”
In the late afternoon, he chuckled as he watched the Awakened Special Task Force cross the street. They were naturally heading out to deal with some monsters that had appeared out of nowhere, grabbing people’s attention as they moved.
“A righteous force protecting citizens… No, they’re just the fangs of the strong in the end. Simpletons who don’t even realize the meaning of the seeds I’ve sown and only know how to destroy. If it were for true justice, they would have at least tried to understand.”
“It’s a well-known secret that their roots, The One Road, are deeply intertwined with the benefits of the political sphere.”
The middle-aged man who stood beside him nodded expressionlessly. Dressed sharply in a suit, he contrasted with the scruffy tracksuit that the man wore.
“Oh Sun, please give the next order.”
“Nothing special. Tell the followers to keep recommending those who will become seeds. We need to accumulate more power. Originally, I was wary of the magical girls, but if they’re competing amongst themselves like that, I don’t have to worry about them.”
“I will do as you say.”
He, known as the Sun with great honorifics from others, smiled as he naturally gave commands to the man.
During today’s lunch hour, he had given his dagger imbued with his power to the pitiful new civil servant, Lee Hee-chan, turning him into a vessel of hatred and revenge. In exchange, he gained the blood of Lee Hee-chan’s life.
That was how he expanded his influence and power in this land.
He had already been indulging those who received power from him long ago, and now he was only beginning to act in earnest.
“Where are you going?”
“Sadness and hatred naturally tend to spread. The easiest prey is likely nearby. I will devour those, so you continue to expand your power as you are now.”
He smiled as he moved on. His steps were incredibly light.
“This is such a wonderful world.”
He genuinely liked this land. Even without him stepping in, it was already chaotic and disordered.
The very things he could call food were scattered all around.
Countless humans in this world created conflict and hatred themselves and displayed their vulnerabilities. Among them, resentment, hatred, anger, and disillusionment were born.
All of that was his food.
Especially the unique and diverse conflicts in the highly developed modern society were like delightful treats he could never get enough of.
“Ah, shoot.”
At that moment, he turned off the main road and entered an alley crowded with houses, and bumped into someone coming around the corner.
“Are you okay, oppa?”
The young woman beside him threw away the cigarette she was holding and began making a fuss. In response to her commotion, the guy who had collided with him glared at him with a twisted expression.
Upon seeing his smaller stature, he swaggered in front of him, blocking his path.
“Hey, are you blind or something?”
The man subtly showed off the tattoos covering his arm while puffing out his chest. He couldn’t let it slide in front of his girl.
“You guys don’t look very interesting.”
“…What?”
“This world is so simple. There’s no depth in conflicts and despair, no sorrow or grudge, just instant pleasure, huh?”
“You little… Ugh?!”
“You are worthless.”
Despite his threatening demeanor, the tattooed man flinched when he met the gleaming golden eyes hidden beneath the hood.
“H-Hiiii… Gah.”
He tried to scream but couldn’t manage it. The hand that shot out had embedded itself deep into his stomach, piercing through his shirt. The man stared wide-eyed at that hand that had pierced his body in disbelief.
“So, show at least a minimal usefulness by rampaging until you die.”
“O-Oppa!”
As he grinned and withdrew his hand, the man’s eyes rolled back in horror as his body trembled uncontrollably.
“O-O-O-OHH!!”
“AAAHHH!”
He went insane and, with a scream, struck his girlfriend in the face with his fists.
His body, grotesquely swollen like a terrible tumor, was no longer normal.
“…Still, not very tasty.”
He left behind the sight of the monster he created smashing his girlfriend’s face into the asphalt, and continued across the screaming alley.
“Yes. This is chaos that has been rightly stirred. Foolish humans, intertwined and twisted by their own making!”
He arrived in front of a regular house. However, now that street, which should have been quiet, was noisy. He smirked at the scene. Joy welled up in his chest.
“Oh my, oh my…”
“What a nasty sight.”
In the middle of the residential street, neighbors had gathered and were murmuring. However, the swarm of police officers quickly controlled the curious onlookers.
“Alright folks, everyone step back! This involves an unidentified new type of monster!”
One heavily armed officer, equipped with firearms, protective gear, and a megaphone, commanded the residents. The outright mention of monsters only heightened the murmurs among the crowd.
“No! My brother isn’t a monster!”
Amidst the chaos, a high school boy, subdued by police, shouted out. He was Lee Hee-chan’s younger brother, the one who had been ‘shot as a monster’ earlier that afternoon.
“Quickly, breach. We don’t know what’s inside. Keep your guard up.”
“These people… AAH!”
The police, in collaboration with the Special Task Force, began forcefully dragging out a frail middle-aged woman blocking the entrance of the house and entered inside.
“How can there be such law! They told us our perfectly fine son is a monster and killed him without even showing the corpse! You! You’re not human, you bastards!”
Finally dragged out of where her second son was, Lee Hee-chan’s mother coughed but ended up crying out in despair.
Seeing her in that state, the officers trying to pull her out became flustered and glanced back at their superior. After all, they were human too.
“Captain! Really, should we…”
“Just proceed. You think this is a simple crime? The higher-ups are pushing like crazy. And, ma’am.”
Captain Kang Chan-ho, receiving the gaze of his subordinates, scowled and irritatedly replied.
“Your son has become a terrible monster and killed people. There’s plenty of witnesses and evidence alright? So you might not know, but it’s better for you to behave. You don’t want to be shot.”
“How can that be…”
“We’re proceeding according to the law. And your son’s evaluation at work is terrible as well.”
‘This is just too much of a hassle.’
Kang Chan-ho yelled at the shocked woman. Of course, he also fully understood that this wasn’t normal procedure.
However, the higher-ups had been throwing unreasonable demands, creating chaos. Middle managers like Kang Chan-ho had to operate even more roughly and swiftly under the increasing pressure for results.
‘It can’t be… Hee-chan… my son.’
There was no thought given to the reason or cause, only mindless movement toward visible results by the police, lacking any compassion or kindness.
Because of that, Lee Hee-chan became just another monster, murderer, killer.
“Ah…”
“Mom!”
Already physically weak, she could not withstand the shock and fainted on the spot.
“Someone help! Call 119…”
In panic, he held his unconscious mother and shouted, but no one came to help.
‘Ah…’
He sighed blankly.
“Monster.”
“A killer’s family, huh?”
“Those people too?”
Despite not really hearing them, it felt like the spectators watching from a distance were saying this.
‘Why?’
What followed was an overwhelming sense of despair and unfairness.
‘You bastards.’
And intense rage.
“Yes. That’s it. Will you just sit back and watch? Your brother’s injustice, the insult faced by your family. Will you just let it happen?”
It was then that he heard whispers in his ear. He turned his head upwards. There stood a being next to him that others, including the police, couldn’t see.
“Take this. Accept it, and unleash your hatred.”
It was not merely a whisper. It was a deadly temptation, a wicked tongue that seduced one into corruption. However, a person pushed to their limits cannot escape such temptations. After all, it was a presence that could fulfill one’s desires.
“It won’t be difficult. They only pay the price for their sins.”
A young man with sparkling golden eyes peeked from beneath his hood, holding out a black dagger like obsidian.
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